


Saving a Wilde Fox

by Slyly1993



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Affection, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Savage Nick Wilde, Sweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2020-09-24 14:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20360146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slyly1993/pseuds/Slyly1993
Summary: They had the evidence, and Bellwether’s confession was recorded. All they needed now was to stall just a little longer for the cops to arrive.Though some things work out differently than anticipated.This story follows Judy Hopps after the museum incident in helping her best friend's odd recovery from Bellwether's last act of vengeance. She'll be there through both their ups and downs while putting up with the numerous antics and attachments of a truly Wilde fox.





	1. The (Almost) Perfect Plan

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. So I'd thought I'd finally give writing a go, so please pardon the amateur hour you're about to read. I'd really appreciate any suggestions or alternations of phrases that you would think would make the writing overall better.
> 
> Before I go any farther, I should mention that this story chapter was posted earlier, and is now under an account called orphan_account. The reason is actually because of accidental posting. When I tried to save without posting, I accidentally hit the wrong button and posted it. I panicked because, despite writing a intro and end notes, I never intended to actually release it. It was just for me alone to read it. So, I got worried and snipped the story from my account, thinking that it would just go away. 
> 
> I was half right.
> 
> It was no longer credited to me, but a couple of weeks or so later, I not only found out that it was floating out in the Archive separate from my account, but people read, kudos’d, and commented on it.
> 
> The two comments on the chapter from users The Wildehopps Protection Agency (WHPA) and 3wolves, both liked and wanted me to continue it. And with the end notes I left, which I’ll leave intact for the most part at the bottom, I find it funny because now I truly fell like I have to finish it now. So, that’s that. 
> 
> And it’s kind of silly to say, but just in case; Zootopia is not mine. It's Disney's

“Fear always works! And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way”.

_That should be enough._

Its been three months since the press conference, and so much of Zootopia’s infrastructure has fallen apart. Thanks in part to a certain bunny’s statement regarding the cause of mammals going savage, the city’s prey and predator population have been at odds with each other, resulting in mass protests and civil unrest. And for the last three months, that very same bunny has piled the blame on herself.

As luck would have it however, it was just that guilt that convinced her to return home and unintentionally discover the cause behind the savage mammals. She returned to the city, reunited with Nick, and after a couple of scuffles resulting in a train crash and gashed leg, finally found her way at the bottom of a museum exhibit with Nick thanks to the mastermind behind the plot, Assistant turned Mayor Bellwether.

Much like the luck that’s been trailing right beside the fox and bunny duo however, they arrived to their current predicament with a plan in tow. It’s was a long shot of a plan, but given the urgency of the situation, it was the only one they had; Switch the ammo, put on a show, and get the little lamb to monologue her entire master plan.

And strangely enough…it worked. They had the evidence, and Bellwether’s confession was recorded. All they needed now was to stall just a little longer for the cops to arrive.

“Oh, Nick... No...”

“Bye-bye, bun- “Bellwether said, pausing to take a closer look at Nick. To her, something was off. Their acting was solid, with Nick portraying the vicious predator to a frightening degree, and Judy’s face displaying a true sense of terror.

Nick’s eyes.

Both Nick and Judy froze as Bellwether popped the back of the gun open and saw their deception tumble to the ground.

“Ohhhh…you clever little bunny”. Bellwether chuckled, her grin stretching even further while she smashed the blueberries under her hoof.

“Or was it the fox’s idea?” Bellwether said, waving the gun in Nick’s direction.

Both Nick and Judy slowly backed away from where Bellwether was standing over them, as if they had another way to escape unharmed. While their hustle seemed perfect given the few seconds they had to scheme, it didn’t leave any room for a Plan B.

“Well, no matter…” Bellwether chuckled, pulling a new batch from her pocket and snapping them into the ammunition chamber. “Second times the charm”.

Despite Nick’s best effort to dodge, a blue splotch struck his arm, causing him to fall to the ground convulsing. Pounding his fists into the ground, he tried to maintain focus and ordered his limbs to calm themselves. But slowly his vision grew red, and his claws began to extend against his will.

“Nick!” Judy yelled, with much more dread in her voice. True dread this time. She lunged forward for a split second to aid him but stopped herself short. The nighthowler was already coursing through his system, and there was no way to fight it. Despite her fierce desire to rush to her friend’s side, she knew that there was only one course of action that could save them both.

She had to stay alive.

She hid back behind the tall weeds, giving her some time to quickly scan her surroundings. The walls were too high to leap out off with her best effort, her leg prevented her from outrunning him, and there were no hiding places that could keep a fully savage animal at bay.

“Aww now that’s more like it.” Bellwether laughed, watching as Nick began to growl, his eyes now dilated. “A true _vulpes vulpes_ in his natural habitat”.

Nick stood up on all fours, growling and looking around the pit, trying to zero in on any mammal. He looked upwards at the laughing sheep, then to the remaining fake animals in the exhibit, but even in his lowered state he knew that neither of the targets were worth hunting.

He then however caught a scent that was strangely appealing to him.

He slowly walked towards the grass, scrunching his muzzle with every sniff and bearing his full set of canines, keeping his nose locked on to the scent. With time running out, Judy managed to briefly gather her thoughts and noticed a small boulder to the side just a little away from where Nick was prowling.

_It’ll have to do._

Despite the pain in her leg, she quietly positioned herself the best she could, readying for the mad dash.

_Come on Jude, you can do it. You’ve come too far. Don’t make this all for nothing._

She took in a deep breath as she heard Nick growing closer.

_3…2…1_

She lunged towards the boulder with as much power in her good leg as possible. The sudden burst of grey startling the savage fox, causing him to yelp and leap backwards.

Despite the blood and sharp pain resonating in her injured leg, she lunged upwards as high as she could, tearing her leg even further. She smacked into the large rock, and started immediately to kick upwards against it to propel herself to the very top.

Never in all her life had her heart beaten as fast, and it started to pick up even faster when she heard the rapid patter of four limbs coming at her in a full on sprint. Just one more push would be enough to bring her to the top, high enough to avoid him.

But that hope was dashed as she felt the jaws of a fox grip onto her jeans.

With one quick tug, Judy was whipped around and forced back to the ground with her back to the boulder. She took one last scan around the area for even the slightest glimmer of hope, but could only see a grinning sheep above, and a savage fox in front.

She leaned back against the rock and looked towards the ceiling knowing she was done for. Feeling a presence growing closer and closer, all she could do now was let a few tears run down her eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

_You know what…maybe I deserve this._

Everything from the last three months came rushing back to her. The sight and sounds of the protests, her own words at the press conference with the sounds and flashes of cameras in the background, and the images of future kits and cubs being taught how to be afraid and mistrusting of predators. And most of all, in her mind and in front of her; Nick.

Dragging him along, putting his life in danger numerous times, and then crushing his trust the minute he gained a single ounce of hope and self-respect, she couldn’t believe how reckless she’s been with another life. An innocent life just wanting to be better than what the world said he could be. And now, even after all those grievances, even after he forgave her with nothing to gain this time, she still had been too short sighted to see how she could hurt him. How his life will turn out after this.

Will he be like this forever? Will they kill him later? Will he blame himself what’s about to happen? She couldn’t go without helping him best she could. She looked into his wild eyes, trying her best to ignore the growling.

“Nick…” Judy whispered just loud enough for him to hear. She closed her eyes. “Don’t blame yourself. And…” she took one more breath in, powering through her tears. “Please forgive me”.

Despite knowing what to expect, she dared to look at Nick one last time, expecting emerald daggers and a full set of jaws from her former friend forced savage.

And there he stood in front of her, their faces just as close together as when they had just tried to fool Bellwether. His pupils were indeed savage, but his eyes seemed more…soft. A look that was a mixture of surprise and confusion, trying to make sense of who this mammal was in front of him. As he looked into her violet eyes, his ears slowly rose up while his muzzle relaxed.

Judy tensed up as Nick brought his muzzle close to her, only to be further perplexed when rather than teeth, she felt the hairs on the side of her neck swaying back and forth with Nick’s breathing. She felt his wet nose sniff around her neck, over her jugular, and move upwards into her ear.

Despite her fear, she had to hold back a case of the giggles as Nick spent a little time sniffing around and inside her ears. She knew she was still in danger as far as she could tell, but the fact that he needed more time to analyze her ears due to their size, combined with the how much it tickled, she couldn’t help but find it humorous. Nick lowered his muzzle back down to where both their noses touched, looking into her eyes once again.

“Nick”? Judy whispered.

Without warning, she was greeted by a rough tongue against her cheeks, licking away at the tears.

“Nick?!” She exclaimed, being licked by a fox as excited as a kit on Christmas morning. “Y-you’re slobbering all over me”! Judy managed to say in between giggles. She fell on her side laughing, which was a mistake now that it gave Nick the chance to climb on top of her to lick at her face even more, wagging his tail in delight. She tried looking at Nick, only to be greeted by his tongue, and what she thought was a smile in the corners of his mouth.

As Nick was trying to nuzzle in closer, pushing his muzzle upwards against her cheeks, Judy couldn’t believe what was happening. What was just a few seconds ago the most terrifying moment of her life, suddenly turned into the fight of holding back tears of laughter over this sudden change of affection. She knew in the back of her mind that she was still in danger, still needed to make things right, and that this now opened a new floodgate of questions that would need answering. For the time being however, she decided to set those concerns aside and embrace both Nick and their luck. If the sudden change in behavior of this “savage” fox meant anything, then maybe its just that its not her time yet.

\-----------------------------------------

“What is this?!” Bellwether yelled. “He’s supposed to be tearing her to bits, not acting like a little kit”!

“You sound disappointed”.

Bellwether tensed, knowing that deep voice anywhere. She looked behind to see Chief Bogo approaching with a squad of officers on both sides.

“C-Chief Bogo!” Bellwether exclaimed, quickly turning around while trying to hide the gun behind her back. “Thank goodness you’re here! Judy is…” she looked back behind her to see Judy, now trying to push back against the overly affectionate fox, looking upwards at the sheep. She looked back to Bogo, trying desperately to think of a single excuse to explain what was going on. Though nothing came as she didn’t even know what was going on.

**“I’ll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way”. **

Bellwether felt her stomach drop as she heard those words being played out. She looked once again towards Judy, who with a carrot recorder in one hand and a fox being pushed back by the other, had a giant smirk on her face. Bellwether knew now that there was no way out of this. With her confession recorded and evidence in tack, it was her words against hers. It was over, and she was going down.

But she did not want to let Judy have the last laugh.

With a growl in her throat, Bellwether spun all the way back around towards the duo, stretching her arm out with the gun.

“You disgusting pelt!” she shouted, firing two more shots at Nick. He yelped as both managed to hit the exposed areas of his fur. Even as she felt hooves snap her hands behind her back while yanking the gun away, she couldn’t hold back a smile. The effects of nighthowler over-dosage had never been tested, but Bellwether figured it would ether drive the fox into a true rage or kill him. Either way, she would be happy.

Nick fell on his side against the rock, once again convulsing and tensing up. His heart rate raced faster and faster as his muscles inflamed and cramped all over his body. His initial heavy panting began to mix with high shrieks and crying not common among evolved mammals, but rather a primal animal in pain.

Despite her fear, Judy did not back away this time. She raced to his side and tried to calm him down, firmly gripping his hand. She could fell the heat building up inside of him and counted his heart rate from his veins. No matter how terrified she was, her pulse was nowhere near as rapid and sporadic as the fox withering on his back in front of her.

“Shhhh…it’s okay. It’s okay.” Judy whispered, just loud enough to overshadow the noises coming from Nick. She tilted his head up to look up at her, and he meet her eyes while still huffing and crying in pain with tears in his eyes. “Stay calm Nick. You’ll make it through. I promise”.

She knew of course that there were no guarantees. Nick had been shot three times with a pellet potent enough to turn a polar bear savage with just one. The only reassurance granted to her was the fact that, for some reason beyond her or anyone else’s understanding, Nick turned more into a loving creature than a savage monster. Maybe, just maybe luck will be on their side one more time.

Before she could say any other words of comfort, she felt a sudden pierce on her leg, and a lurking sense of drowsiness. Time seemed to slow down as her vision blurred, falling to her side as her senses slowly fell into darkness.


	2. Waking Ups and Downs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy is brought up to speed after finally waking up from the museum incident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, chapter two is finally done. 
> 
> I'd like to give a shout out to 3wolves and The Wildehopps Protection Agency (WHPA) for helping me out by reading over the chapter for quality control. Thanks again guys. 
> 
> Also, I forgot to mention this earlier, but I'd also like to shout out to Zanrok as a huge inspiration for the story and it's fluff moments. I left a tribute to his work Derailment in this chapter. It's all in a name.

A pounding headache and dry mouth greeted Judy as she slowly came to. Her vision was burry while trying to adjust to the bright lights above her, slowly making out the mixed smells of various cleaners and lavender surrounding her. Her thoughts slowly started forming together.

_N…Nick…Nick? Nick, where are you?_

She tried bringing her head up to look around for the fox, only to be reprimanded for her curiosity by the waves motioning in her head, causing her to lay back against the large pillow groaning.

_“Oh, you’re awake.”_ A voice said to her. A small, but tender voice that slightly echoed. “Can you hear me okay?” The voice asked, slightly clearer now. Barely turning her head, Judy looked around the room for the source, only now seeing the white walls surrounding her room with her eyes half opened. She didn’t know what to make of this phantom voice. “Don’t be frightened, I’m right here”.

Judy felt a tiny paw carefully touch the side of her cheek. She turned to it to see a little squirrel in scrubs coming into view with a gentle smile on her face. Being almost as tall as Judy’s feet length, she was small enough to be on top of the over-sized bed right next to her without taking up too much space.

“Hello Miss Hopps.” The squirrel said, making sure to speak softly. “It’s good to see you awake. I’m Doctor Summers. Can you hear me okay?" Judy barely moved her head enough to represent a nod. "Good". The doctor noticed the strain on Judy's face as she tried to open her eyes all the way. "Oh no need to exert yourself Miss Hopps. Just relax, and I'll help you any and every way I can. Can I get you anything at all? Perhaps some medicine for that headache?" Judy slowly nodded her head. 

Without saying a word, the little squirrel quickly made a couple trips to the counter next to the bed to bring a bottle of water and a small cup with two pills. Judy downed the entire bottle with the pills in one go under the doctor supervision, making sure she didn’t drink too fast. She closed her eyes and exhaled as she set the empty bottle down, relieved for the hydration.

“Just give a few minutes for the pills to kick in.” She explained. “Until then, is there anything else you need? Any questions you might have”.

“Y-yeah.” Judy mumbled, her mind still trying to catch up. While her headache continued to pulse, she pushed her pain aside for more pressing matters. “Do you know where...where uh...”.

"Where Mr. Wilde is perhaps?" 

"Yeah. How did you know"?

”You’ve been talking in your sleep for a while now.” She sat down next to Judy “And with all you've said, you're really concerned for him aren't you"?

Judy looked away from the doctor to stare straightforward. She replayed all the worries that've been bouncing around her mind while she was asleep, Nick's wellbeing appearing the most.

Judy sighed. "I am". She closed her eyes as her head began to swim again, tossed around with the memories of the withering fox.

"H-he was in pain last I saw him" Judy began to explain, keeping in mind to reframe from telling information that shouldn't be leaked. "He was on the ground...crying. I was next to him, trying to comfort him. I didn't know what to do. What I could do." She slowly started to grip her bedsheets with what little energy she had. "I...I promised him that he would be okay. That he would make it through the pain". As she continued to talk, she closed her eyes as all the imaginations of Nick's current condition pushed her further and further away from the comfort she desperately needed. "I just want him to be okay". 

Seeing the poor bunny's internal plight, she slid down next to her to wrap her tiny arms around Judy's shoulder as much as she could. “Oh sweetie, it's okay. It's okay_._" she whispered softly. She continued to rub and pat Judy on the back as her body throbbed with each sob, her breathing growing slightly erratic with her anxiety. “Judy sweetie… I need you to take a few deep breaths. Can you do that for me”?

Although surrounded in her worries, Judy took the doctor’s advice and steadied her breathing. Slowly she pushed the images away for the time being with each inhale and exhale. She soon composed herself enough to where she could look down into the pleasant eyes of the squirrel hugging her.

“There we go, much better.” She continued to hug and pat Judy to comfort her. “Now, while I'm not sure how much can be said for Mr. Wilde's full condition as of right now, I can say that he is still alive, and his pain has subsided".

Judy immediately began to feel her stomach loosen as she continued. "And while I haven't received word on his uh...current state of mental stability, I can say that the recent treatments for nighthowlers have been very successful". 

“So…you think he's okay?” Judy asked, with a glow of hope in her eyes once again. She began to plead on the inside that she would have her chance to talk to him. To wrap her arms around him and tell him how sorry she was for everything.

“Well now remember, I don't know the full extent of his condition. They're trying to keep everything as hush hush as possible before making any official announcements. But..." She looked up to Judy with a smile. "I have a good feeling things are going to be okay for him. For both of you". 

Judy could hardly believe it; they both made it. A train crash, violent rams, and two instances of weaponized nighthowler. She tried to wrap her mind around how everything turned out in the end, kind of finding it a little humorous; what does it take to kill off a bunny and fox? More so for her right now, the fox.

Feeling a cooling relief wash over her, Judy leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and took in another deep breath. “Oh thank goodness” Judy said as she exhaled. She looked down to see the squirrel slowly letting go of her shoulder. “Uh…sorry about that” She gave a nervous laugh. “It’s been a crazy few…actually how long have I been out”?

“Sorry? For what, for being worried?” Doctor Summers laughed. “Sweetie, if even half of what I’ve heard happened is true, I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to be a little stressed! And you’ve been out for about oh…a little over a couple of days”.

“Two days?” Judy asked with a bit of surprise in her voice.

“Mm-hm, just a little over. You were accidentally hit by a tranquilizer dart with a dosage meant for canines. Not a fatal amount for you thank goodness, but just enough to put you into a deep sleep. We knew as soon as you started groaning a few hours ago that you’d wake up soon, so I volunteered to stay by your side until then”.

“Ah, thank you.” Judy said, grateful for her vigilant watch.

“My pleasure. And besides- “She quickly looked around before looking back to Judy. “It gives me the excuse to doze off on the job”. She whispered with a smile and wink while lightly stomping her foot on the spot next to her patient.

“Oooh…I see now.” Judy said with joking smirk on her face, narrowing her eyes at the doctor. “Trying to act all sweet and caring just to catch up on our beauty sleep are we”?

“First off Miss Hopps…” She wrapped her tail around her shoulders like a boa and struck a pose. “Beauty sleep not needed. And second, I wouldn’t try to make me mad if I were you. Remember…I’m the one who decides what flavor of pudding you get”. They both stared at each other for a second with glares reserved only for the most untrustworthy, before they both broke down laughing. 

While Nick’s forgiving her under the bridge was certainly at the top of the best moments she’s had in months, if not her life, to have this moment with another mammal outside her family still felt wonderful. A mammal who not only genuinely cared for her wellbeing, but one who could give her little moments like this to smile at. Moments that reminded her to keep going no matter how hard things have both been, or possibly will be.

“And speaking of my job, I just remembered-” Doctor Summers said as her laughter slowly died down, her smile never leaving. “Chief Bogo wants to talk with you. We called him earlier when you started to stir, and he’s been in the waiting room since. Are you okay with him coming in right now?” Judy nodded. “Good. Well, then I’ll be right back. Use the call button if you need anything”. She gave her a quick wave as Judy watched her climb off the bed and leave the room through a smaller door.

_Oh my gosh she’s too adorable._

Judy leaned back into her pillow as her thoughts played out in her head, going over the events once again until they eventually landed back to the fox. She felt partially relieved for her friend’s recovery, but her remaining anxiety wouldn’t let her celebrate just yet. She had so many things to apologize for; Dragging him along, dusting off his advice on just taking the evidence case, and putting him in a scenario where he’d be triple shot with nighthowler.

Her thoughts then veered off again to the museum pit. Based on all the cases of savage predators, why did he not attack her? What made it so that he’d act the exact opposite of all the other victims? She hoped that ether the researchers behind the antidote will have an explanation, or perhaps Nick will somehow remember enough to tell her what he saw and felt. She was definitely more eager for the latter.

Her train of thought broke as she heard the door open and saw Doctor Summers and Chief Bogo approaching. Out of reflex from her rollcalls in the bullpen, she tried to straighten up only to be forced back down with a gasp in her throat due to her injury. “At ease Hopps“.

“Oh yes Miss Hopps, please be careful!” Doctor Summers exclaimed as she scurried up the bed next to Judy. “You have to take it easy sweetie. You don’t want your leg to tear any further do you?” Judy shook her head, now remembering that she didn’t leave the museum unscathed.

“How serious is it?” Bogo asked in his usual gruff voice, interlaced with a hint of concern.

“Not as much as it could have been thankfully.” Without warning, the squirrel lifted the sheets covering Judy’s leg, and pushed her gown up just above her knee, high enough to show the tear. Judy couldn’t help but slightly blush. “While it’s a long cut, its not as deep as we were expecting. Just needed to be clean up and stitched.” She looked up towards Judy meeting her eyes. “You’ll need try your best to keep pressure off for at least two weeks, so no strenuous activities. Understand?” Doctor Summers asked in a mother’s tone.

Judy simply nodded her head.

“Is that a ‘Yes I’ll take it easy’, or ‘Yes I heard what you said’?” She asked with an eyebrow raised. Chief Bogo couldn’t help but smirk for a moment at the doctor’s perception of the overly determined bunny.

“No no, I heard you, and I will take it easy! I promise.” Judy quickly said, felling like a kit with her hands caught in the cookie jar. She began to feel the pressure from both of their stares. “I mean…I still have to work when I check out.” She noticed how both the squirrel and buffalo crossed their arms. “J-just a little bit…around the farm. It doesn’t even have to be serious work. I’m sure I can stay seated most of ti-“.

“Hopps.” Bogo said, causing Judy to snap her attention up to the buffalo. “Stop trying to make excuses. We need you back in top shape as soon as possible, so listen to the doctor and rest up”.

“But I can’t…_oh fine_.” Judy groaned as she laid back into her pillow. As a bunny raised on the farm and disciplined at the ZPD Academy, she despised the idea of doing nothing for that long of time.

“Good. And besides, I think more matters need attending to at the moment than a few carrot crops”.

“_We grow more than **just** carrots…”_ Judy mumbled.

“I’m sure you do.” Bogo answered back. He looked towards Doctor Summers. “I’ll need to speak with Miss Hopps for a while”.

“Of course.” Doctor Summers replied with a nod, and turned back to Judy, meeting her eyes once again. She slowly walked up to her and grasp the larger paw as best she could. “Thank you so much for everything Miss Hopps. Zootopia is lucky to have a bunny like you”.

Judy felt a strange swirl of emotions in her. On the one hand, the part of her that had been blaming herself demanded that she not fell any rightful pride for any of her good deeds. On the other was the warm, sweet feeling of gratitude for her actions. While the two sides had both high and low grounds in their arguments, she decided to allow herself to enjoy the appreciation.

“My pleasure” Judy replied with a smile and paw shake. And with a smile on her face, Doctor Summers once again left the room.

“So…now that all the pleasantries are out of the way” Bogo said as he took a seat next to her bed. “What all have you heard regarding the last two days”?

“Just little bits and pieces.” Judy said.

The next hour or so went by as Judy and Bogo conversed back and forth, with Bogo bringing her up to speed regarding Bellwether in custody and the rapid development of the nighthowler antidote, and Judy giving her full report on the events leading up to the museum pit.

“I’ve got to say, for a couple of civilian mammals, I’m impressed”.

“Thank you sir.” Judy said with a small smile on her face, still feeling good for the first time in months for her actions.

“In the future however, I would much rather give praise to my officers.” Judy looked to the buffalo in confusion. “I stand by what I said Hopps; We need good cops like you”.

Judy sat there dumbfounded. Ever since she came back to Zootopia to finish the case, she never once thought of the possibility of returning to the force. Her only goal was to solve the case in order to stop the prey and predator divide. A divide, she reminded herself, that she unintentionally jump started.

“And before you spout some flimsy excuse on why you think you’re not fit for the job, let me ask you this; with what you’ve risked fixing your mistake, are you ready to leave everything you’ve worked for behind once again? Do you think you can tend crops for the rest of your life knowing there are mammals you could have helped or even saved”?

Judy hardly needed to think as she already knew that Bogo was right. Despite all the reasons she could think of why she wouldn’t be fit for the job, she would never be able to live on knowing that she could have done more. And while she felt her mistake wasn’t fully fixed just yet, she felt a renewed hope that perhaps she could fully mend every bit of damage she’s done to both the city and Nick.

Starting right now.

“No sir, you’re right; I don’t think I could live with that.” She looked up towards Bogo with determination in her eyes once again. “I’ll rejoin”.

He had a brief smile on his face. “That’s what I like to hear”.

“I do however just have one favor to ask… If I may”?

“Depends what it is”.

“I was wondering if you could put in a recommendation to the ZPD Academy”?

The chief’s face slowly dropped as he closed his eyes and exhaled. “It’s for the fox isn’t it”?

_Unbelievable… _

“How can you still say that after all he’s done? He’s not just ‘the fox’ sir; His name is Nick Wilde-“ Judy said with an upset tone in her voice. “and I know _you_ might not trust him, but I do. With my life”. She felt strange standing up to her soon-to-be boss, especially when she wasn’t sure if Nick would accept the offer to sign up again, but she needed to try anyway in case he did. That, and she would not stand to hear her friend degraded any further. 

“Hopps-”

“Without him, I would have never solved either of the cases. Just the way he knows everyone in Zootopia would make him an amazing officer on the force.” Judy continued with more passion in her voice.

“HOPPS“.

“Please give him a chance! Sure we’ll have to set a few legal records straight, but I assure you he’d be well worth the eff-“

“HOPPS!” He bellowed, startling her. He leaned down to stare into her eyes “Let. Me. Talk”. Judy sat back in stunned silence as the buffalo regained his composure.

“First off, I don’t need to reminded of how I criticized him for being a fox. I’m more than willing to admit that I was wrong, and I’ll be sure to let Mr. Wilde know that if I get the chance…”. Bogo explained in a calm voice. “but that’s not the problem. Neither is the recommendation. It’s **the fox** himself”.

Judy felt her stomach sink once again as Bogo’s face looked more stressed as he stood up.

“You need to see something”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well with that, be sure to leave a review on what you liked and what can be improved, and tell me if you caught the tiny tribute. Until next time, whenever that is, see ya!


	3. A Strange Savage Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy finally sees Nick. Bad news, he doesn't look too good. The good news, a certain bunny might be able to turn that around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, managed to finish this one. Special thanks again to The Wildehopps Protection Agency (WHPA) and 3wolves for quality checking. Now then, on to the chapter.

Despite her best efforts, Judy couldn’t keep her mind from going a hundred miles an hour as Bogo pushed her chair pass the security checkpoint separating the west wing from the rest of the hospital. She recalled her last visit here about two months ago when she stood next to a heartbroken otter grieving over her husband’s savage state. The halls this time however lacked the quiet sounds of growling and claws scratching against the tiles. She saw that each room was now occupied with a predator asleep in bed.

“I thought the antidote was successful?” Judy asked quietly as she was pushed down the hallway, looking side to side in each room hoping to see a fox.

“From what I’ve been told.” Bogo responded, also making sure to keep his voice low. “They’re getting less aggressive each time I see them”.

Judy found herself in déjà vu as they entered into the next area. It was a dim room surrounded with state-of-the-art medical equipment and familiar brain scans along the walls. Far more than what she recalled before.

Including one that had the distinct shape of a fox’s skull.

“Fascinating isn’t it”?

Judy turned her attention forward and was stunned to see a familiar badger in a lab coat walking towards her.

“Everyone gone for the night?” Bogo asked.

“Yeah. Figured that with how well the patients are doing we didn’t all need to work overtime. I vouched to stay behind”.

“Hopps, I believe you’ve meet Doctor Madge Badger”.

“A uh…a while ago…How’ve you been”? Judy asked, feeling rather awkward talking to someone she had to see arrested from her solving The Missing Mammals case. 

“Not too bad”. She answered with an amused look on her face, being able to tell what was going through the bunny’s mind.

“She was granted an official pardon when the call was sent out to all of the best medical professionals in Zootopia. We figured she would be able to provide useful insight given her time with the first victims in Cliffside”.

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Doctor Badger groaned as she rubbed her eyes. “Trying to find a cure in an abandoned asylum with a lion breathing down my neck; I’d say my arrest was a breath of fresh air”. 

“Well that’s…good to hear.” Judy said with an awkward smile.

“Any new developments?” Bogo said, ignoring the awkward vibe in the room.

The badger looked up to Bogo with a hint of enthusiasm. “Yes as a matter of fact; Some of the victims have begun to form syllables, so activity in the frontal lobe is resuming properly. Hyperstimulation in the cerebellum has gone down, and as you saw on the way in, they’ve finally been able to stay asleep on their own. We should be seeing the first few recoveries within the next day or so”.

“And…what about Nick?” Judy asked. She knew it was a stupid question, but she couldn’t wait any longer to find out what’s happened to her fox.

The room’s atmosphere immediately changed, enough to even affect the staunch buffalo. He reframed from telling Judy what’s happened just in case of any new developments within the last hour or so with the hope that perhaps some positive news would be inbound.

But with the look of disappointment on the doctor’s face, he knew it wasn’t the case.

As Doctor Badger signaled for them to follow her into the next hallway without saying a word, Judy began to brace herself every way possible. She tried to calm herself by means taught to her in the academy to reduce stress in a tense situation, but slowly found that all the collective breathing and mental stabilizing couldn’t edit out the nearing sounds of moving sheets and growls. Very distinct growls.

As Doctor Badger opened the final door at the end of the hall, Judy was treated to sight that took her breathe away.

_No…_

There, through a sheet of one-way glass in a large observation room, was Nick Wilde; Writhing under restraints pinning him by his chest and hands to a hospital bed elevated to support his back and hooked up to various medical instruments to watch his charts. His fur was an unkept mess, with visible amounts of drools dripping from his growling muzzle under his severely bloodshot eyes.

“How is he still like this?” Judy asked softly, unable to take her eyes off the poor fox.

“Because we can’t put him to sleep.” Doctor Badger responded solemnly. “In order for the antidote to work, the victims have to be asleep in order for the activity in the cerebellum to decrease to the point where the cerebral cortex can ingest the solution. Mr. Wilde hasn’t been able to sleep for two days now, and no amount of general anesthesia can knock him out. His system, for lack of better words, just eats through it”.

“Has he shown any signs of tiring out?” Bogo asked.

“Not at all. His heart rate has been the same since he was brought in. If it weren’t for his cardiovascular system’s adjustment to the additional stimulation, it would’ve given out by now”. 

“Have you tried stronger doses outside his species”?

“All the way up to tiger strength. We can’t go any further, less we run the risks of perman-“

The conversations began to fade as Judy drifted into her own mind, retreating to her memories. She found herself back under the bridge where she apologized to Nick, shedding bitter tears as she begged for his help once more. For a moment, she felt warmth again as Nick turned to her with a smile on his face and a mischievous spark in his emerald eyes. She walked towards him and once again found herself in his warm embrace, happy and content. She smiled.

But reality pulled her back, finding herself once again in the room looking to the fox on the other side. His smile replaced with snarling canines, and the spark of mischief replaced with anger. It simply wasn’t the same fox that worked so hard to help her with this case.

A case that may have just ruined his life forever.

“So is there any hope you can cure him?” Judy said aloud over their conversation, bringing their attention back to the downtrodden bunny.

“Miss Hopps, I…I won’t sugarcoat it; it’s not looking good. We’re not going to give up on him, but it’s not looking good”.

Judy just dropped her head as she leaned back into her chair. She believed in the doctor’s words; just not to their fullest extent. How can she believe that nobody had given up on her friend when they’ve gone home for the night? Was one fox just not worth the mammalpower? No, they won’t give up him; they’ll just work half-heartedly for a lost-cause. The more she thought about the low chances, the more she felt compelled to tell him how sorry she was. Just in case.

She looked towards the fox on the other side of the window. “Can I…can I talk to him?”

“Miss Hopps he won’t recognize you. He’ll just snarl and bark.” Judy once again found herself believing in her words…almost. She knew how Nick treated her in the museum, how loving and affectionate he was, but she couldn’t help but think that he probably wouldn’t recognize her now. Not with how savage he was.

“I know, but I just need to apologize to him. Please”.

They both felt the weight of her plead, and knew that to deny her this simple request would be almost heinous despite all good reasons. Bogo looked to Doctor Badger for approval.

She nodded. “It should be fine; he’s restrained pretty tightly. He won’t get loose”.

With that assurance, Bogo took a deep breath and wheeled Judy to the room’s entrance. Judy looked up to the buffalo as the badger opened the door. “If you don’t mind sir, I want to speak to him alone”. He simply nodded.

As Judy wheeled herself into the room, Nick snap his head towards her, staring into her eyes. The world froze for the bunny as she found herself face to face with Nick once again. Second time now as a savage predator. As she wheeled forward, he started to twitch and what sounded like growling as his tail flickered with anxiety. Judy lowered her head in sadness and took a deep breath.

_I guess he doesn’t recognize me._

She looked back up to the fox. “Nick?” He growled a little more at hearing her voice. She pressed forward knowing she might never have this chance again. “Nick it’s me, Judy. I know you probably don’t recognize me now with…how you are…” She felt the tears welling in her eyes. “Because of me”.

He growled more intently at her as he tried to push forward against his restraints, looking more focused in on the bunny. It was clear that he was thinking of her as prey, and he was on the hunt. Either that or he didn’t want to see her. 

“I just wanted to let you know that…I’m sorry.” Her voice began to break as tears flowed down her face. “I’m so sorry Nick…you were right about just taking the case and running. I was so careless. You were my best friend, and you've shown time and time again how clever you are, but I was too much of a dumb bunny to take your advice. If I'd just listened to you without jumping in head first, none of this would have happened. You…wouldn’t be like this…”.

As Nick’s persistence increased even more, Judy knew she had to hurry up, despite how much more she wanted to say. “All I can say is that I’m so sorry, and if there were any way I could change all this, I would. If given the choice to go back and take the shots for you, I’d do it without a second thought”. 

“I…would do anything to save you”.

She wanted to stay longer. She wanted to make sure that Nick understood how sorry she was, and how much he meant to her. But she knew she had to go. Taking in the sight one more time with a shaky inhale, she started to turn her chair around to leave. Nick was growing more and more anxious, and she doubted he’d appreciate having a sobbing bunny in front of him. She left her apology, and now had to accept her best friend was gone.

She then heard a high-pitched whine behind her.

Her ears shot up as she turned around to look into Nick’s eyes once again. They were still anxious and full of adrenaline, but they…looked sad. Pleading.

She slowly began to inch forward towards the fox as his tail started to shiver with anticipation. As she neared the edge of the bed, he was pushing towards her once again, only whining instead of growling this time. Judy came to a realization; he was trying to get her to come to him. He wanted her.

“Nick?” He huffed as an excited response to the bunny next to his bed. “Do you remember me?” Despite all signals in her mind, as well as the badger on the room intercom, she placed her paw softly on his still bounded arm. His whole frame froze as she made content, startling her at the sudden movement, only for him to melt into a relaxed puddle.

Judy was at a loss for words as she felt his inflamed muscle slowly deflate as his eyes creaked shut. His breathing slowed down, and his face loosened from the growls and tension that he’d been emitting for the last two days. She glanced momentarily towards the monitor.

_BeepBeepBeepBeep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep…Beep…Beep……..Beep_

She looked back to the fox as his sheets gently rose and fell. He looked so peaceful.

“_Miss Hopps_” Doctor Badger whispered on the intercom. Judy, not taking her hand off Nick, looked towards the window to let the doctor know she had her attention. “_Is he asleep_?” She took one more quick look to make double sure she saw correctly before turning back to nod and mouthed “_yes”_.

\----------------------------------------------

“Stay right there, and I’ll be right back”. As Doctor Badger took her finger off the intercom speaker, she quickly hurried to the nearby self to fetch the antidote and a canid syringe. 

“How is this possible?” Bogo asked as he kept his eyes on the fox and bunny.

“I have no idea chief. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Doctor Badger replied while filling the syringe. “All I know is that now’s our best chance”. Giving the needle a quick squirt, she went back to the intercom.

“Miss Hopps.” Doctor Badger whispered. “I have a dose of the antidote right now. When I come in, I need you to carefully turn his arm so that his hand is facing upwards. Do you understand?” Judy nodded.

As she opened the door, she turned to Bogo. “Stand by just in case.” With an affirmative nod from the chief, she went in. 

Judy looked to the door as Doctor Badger quietly came in with the needle in hand. Giving the signal to go, Judy lifted Nick’s arm to rotate it upwards. She looked up when he stirred for a moment, but with a deep inhale of a certain scent, he fell back to sleep. Looking back down, she saw how they already shaved a tiny portion of his forearm, as well as the evidence of numerous failed injections. She could only imagine the struggles endeavored for every attempt.

As the doctor crept closer and closer to the fox, he slowly began to smell the air in his sleep. He sniffed a few times towards the bunny, then slowly turned his head towards the direction of the badger. He continued to catch the foreign scent, causing a low growl to grow louder and louder as his face began to scrunch with each sniff.

His bloodshot eyes popped open.

He lunged against the restraints, barking and growling fiercer than ever before towards the intruder in the room as she fell back against the ground in shock. His heart rate began picking up in speed again as his focus was keened on getting rid of the stranger.

Judy, despite being taken back by Nick’s sudden behavior, hopped off her chair onto her good leg to get in front of his line of sight.

“It’s okay Nick! Calm down, calm down…” She tried to pet his arm as he kept growling at the now retreating badger. He began to look back and forth between the bunny and badger until the door closed. It was only then that his growling began to die down as he turned back towards the bunny stroking the fur on his arm.

“You alright slick?” She saw his demeanor slowly shift back to his more docile state as heart rate returned to normal. He bowed his head and let out a breath of relief. “You uh…had a bit a freak there huh?” She lightly laughed, trying to lesson the stress he was exhibiting, only to have her heart sink when he looked to her with a face that said “_I’m scared_”.

She couldn’t imagine what the poor fox must be going through. Maybe despite his reduced intelligence, he knows something’s wrong with him. Maybe he knows that it’s not normal to be so afraid of everyone. Whatever he was thinking, she was going to let him know one thing that he can be sure of. One fear of his that can reside.

“Nick, I need you to listen to me.” Judy said, making sure Nick was paying attention (not that he’d want to look anywhere else). “I know you’re scared right now…I am too…but I need you to know one thing that you don’t have to be scared of; no matter what happens, I won’t leave you”. She began to gently scratch his arm. “No matter how long it’ll take to cure you, I’ll stay by your side. Okay”?

Nick looked at her with curiosity. Whether or not he believed her, Judy couldn’t tell. She couldn’t blame him if he had some trepidation in her words. Perhaps the part of him that had a hard time trusting other mammals, especially prey, was still ingrained in him even in as a savage.

Well, she knew that wouldn’t do.

Despite all signals in her brain telling her she’s crazy, which she agreed she was, she hopped onto the bed. Nick’s ears shot up in surprise as he watched the fearless bunny scoot up next to him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, nestling her head into his neck.

“I’ll be here for you”.

She felt his chest rise and fall as his breathing grew more drawn out in between, taking in the scent so close to him. And before she could wonder if he accepted her promise, she felt his nose nuzzle against her cheek with a small flick of his tongue, causing a slight giggle from her. There’s the affectionate fox from the museum. Happy and content to be all alone with his bunny. It didn’t even matter now if he really understood what she said, so long as he felt comfortable. 

With one more firm hug, she began to slide back to the wheelchair, only to hear a huff coming from behind.

Nick was looking into her eyes making sure he had her attention as he used his muzzle to point to the spot right next to him.

_Oh boy, looks like you made him greedy._

“Now Nick, I don’t know if I should be- “She was cut off with a whine, and a pair of big eyes calling for her. Try as she might to think of a reason why she has to sit back in her chair, she couldn’t focus long enough for a thought to form with a couple of emeralds pleading for his bunny to stay a little longer. 

_Well…I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to stay by him a little longer…cheese and crackers those eyes…_

She slid back by his side and made herself comfy knowing she might be there for a while. She looked up just as Nick pressed his forehead against hers with a smile on his face. He just…looked at her. Deep into her violet eyes. She stared back into his still savage eyes, and saw new messages silently being conveyed. Some warmed her heart, and some she couldn’t believe, or maybe didn’t think she believed.

Whatever she thought she could read, she knew one message being said: _thank you._

He took in a few deep breathes, each one longer than the last, until Judy began to feel the weight of his head leaning into her. She smiled as she adjusted his head to lean back into the bed, making him as comfortable as possible while straightening his fur out just a little. As she looked at her fox once again sleeping peacefully, she leaned back and thought to herself.

_Of all the ways I’d make the world a better place, I certainly never imagined lying next to a savage fox of a friend to make him happy being one of them._

She laughed.

_Oh…mom and dad would be so proud of me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, one of the hardest parts is pressing the submit button. So daunting. 
> 
> As always, leave a review and tell what you think or any improvements I could work on. Until next time, see ya later!


	4. Team Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madge Badger calls the team together to plan for Nick's recovery. When a crazy idea is presented, an even crazier sign is given to move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this took quite a while. In my defense, I dealt with college finals, writing a quick six chapter Christmas story, and illness. 
> 
> Also, for the skunk professor here, I gave The Wildehopps Protection Agency (WHPA) the privilege to name him. 
> 
> Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Bogo swung the door open as Dr. Badger retreated from Nick. Just as she passed the open door, she grabbed the chief’s hand knowing that he was ready to charge in to hold the savage fox down.

“Don’t go in!” Dr. Badger exclaimed as she slammed the door shut.

“What about Hopps?!” Bogo yelled, furious at the doctor’s interference. For all they knew, he could of snap the bands and be at the rabbit’s neck by now.

Although she was certain Nick’s fury was only directed at her, the doctor ran to the observation window to make sure Judy was in no danger. Bogo stood by the door at the ready to get the situation back under control, only to see her let out a breath of relief. He went back to the window to see the fox’s aggression dying back down.

“He only snapped because I entered the room.” Doctor Badger began to explain as she looked up to the chief. “If he became agitated from a mere honey badger, then I don’t imagine he’d take kindly to a cape buffalo”.

Bogo took a deep breath in. “Fair enough.” He grunted. As much as he hated feeling the withdraw of control over a situation, he couldn’t argue with sound logic. He continued to stare through the window as Judy began to rub the fox’s arm in comfort. “So Hopps is the only one who can get near him”?

“It would appear so.” Doctor Badger said as she rubbed her temples. “It just can’t be easy can it? We finally find a way to get his pulse down enough to inject him, and now he won’t let us approach him. At least, without shooting his heart rate up”.

Bogo shook his head. “Savage or not, he’s as much a pain in the tail as ever”.

Doctor Badger looked up to Bogo. “I’ll need to get the team together to discuss how we’re going to progress with these new findings. It’s probably going to be another all-nighter, so we’ll have to ask Miss Hopps to stay put for the time being”.

Bogo’s eyes widened as he gestured to the window. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

Doctor Badger turned back to the window to see Judy on the bed next to Nick as he gestured for her to come to his side. Her mouth dropped as Judy scooted close to the savage fox, making herself comfortable as Nick took in the sight and smell of the bunny so close to him.

“She’s…she’s not a normal bunny.” Doctor Badger said.

“That’s putting it mildly” Bogo replied. After the last few days with Judy being the cause for a train derailment, taking down homicidal sheep, and going near a savage predator, a fox no less, he found it harder and harder to be too surprised by her actions anymore. When she wanted something done, no amount of barriers could hold that little force of nature back.

“Miss Hopps” Doctor Badger whispered into the intercom, grabbing the bunny’s attention. “I’m going to call the team together to talk about where we’re going to go from here. Do you mind staying with Mr. Wilde until then?” Judy took a second to look up to her sleeping fox before turning back to give a thumbs up. “Thank you”.

“Is there anything else you’ll be needing from me?” Bogo asked as Doctor Badger took her hand off the intercom.

“We should be fine for now. I’ll update you when we’ve come to decision on how to move forward”.

With a firm nod, the staunch buffalo left the doctor to care for the fox, and by extension bunny. She wasted no time dialing the first number.

“Henry, it’s Madge, you need to get down here…yes…I’m sorry but you’ll just have to take it to go…no it can’t wait!... It’s Wilde…we might have a way to cure him…yes…no, it’s for real this time…you’ll just have to see for yourself…uh-huh…alright then, see you soon…bye.”

As she dialed the next number, she watched as the savage fox slept with the bunny by his side. She felt a strange combination of concern over actually finding the solution to this case, and the anticipation of seeing her colleges’ faces over this bizarre sight.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How is this even possible”?!

“Two days of failed anesthesia injections, and all we needed a rabbit”?

“How long has he known her”?

“Awe…they’re is kind of cute together”.

Doctor Badger couldn’t hide her smile as the various medical professionals crammed around the observation window to witness the peculiar sight of the duo. She couldn’t blame them for their curiosity.

It was already quite the spectacle to see a fox and bunny lying next to each other in comfort. With him being savage however, it made the picture all the more astounding. They marveled how the bunny was so calm next to her mortal enemy in his most primitive form and wondered why the fox needed his original prey to be so near to him.

“So Madge, quick question” Doctor Henry Stripes, a zebra and top researcher in the Zootopian pharmaceutical industry turned to her. “Why haven’t you administered a shot yet? With Mr.Wilde being knocked out with two days of severe sleep deprivation pinning him down, now would be the best time for the first dose”.

Doctor Badger looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “I told you already that I tried to, but he won’t let anyone else near him. You would’ve heard me if you weren’t too busy staring at them with a mouth full of alfredo”.

“Ah…right”. Doctor Stripes bashfully said, making sure to wipe his muzzle of any potential stragglers. “I might have recalled you mentioning that”.

“Can’t blame him too much Madge, it’s quite a sight to take in.” Doctor Aussie, a bilby and Zootopia’s top neurosurgeon ecstatically spoke up. “I mean to have a fox be so attached to a bunny is bizarre enough, but for the fox to be savage as well it’s just…it’s amazing!” He was pushing his head against the window. “It defies all prior assessments of the effects of nighthowler on the cerebellum! He should be snapping at her worse than anyone here, but look at him! He’s a puddle next to her! It’s…it’s both miraculous and adorable…”.

“Don’t forget confusing”. Professor Le Pew, a skunk teaching in the fields of anatomy at Zootopia University spoke up. “We pumped him with enough anesthesia to knock out a family of elephants. Nothing. Suddenly a rabbit comes in and puts him right to sleep. By a mere touch no less”. She shook her head as she turned to the badger. “How long have they known each other again”?

“Actually, I’m not too sure. Let me ask.” Doctor Badger said as she moved them aside to the intercom.

“Miss Hopps, quick question” She whispered, bringing Judy’s attention away from the sleeping fox. “How long have you known Mr. Wilde?” Mouthing the words best as possible, Judy responded “_three days_”.

“Thank you.”

“You’re kidding me.” Silvana Ringtail, a raccoon specializing in the studies of botany, said as Doctor Badger took her hands off the intercom. “A bunny he’s known for only three days has enough influence to neglect the aggressive aspects of nighthowlers. It shouldn’t even be possible in the first place, especially not after all we’ve seen from the past victims”.

“Apparently it is.” Doctor Badger said with a shrug. “Anyway, it doesn’t really matter when you get down to it. What does matter is that his system is now open to ingesting the antidote. Only problem is how we’re going to administer it. I was about five yards away from him when he tried to attack me, so I think it goes without saying that Miss Hopps will have to be the one to do it”.

“Is she trained to administer shots?” Le Pew asked.

“Probably not, but we really don’t have a choice in that matter. We’ll just have to instruct how to go about it”.

“Why not just have her inject him with anesthesia?” Silvana asked. “If he’s able to take in shots now, we can just have her give one to him and we take over the rest of the doses. It doesn’t even have to be a perfect shot so long as it knocks him out”.

“That could’ve worked, but I fear we’ve dug our own pit with that solution.” Doctor Aussie said.

“How so”?

“From all the attempts we’ve tried to put him to sleep, I’m afraid his system has adapted to the drug”.

“That would explain his heart rate variations after each injection.” Le Pew said.

“Exactly. The first few attempts lowered his heart rate very slightly before it his system ate it up. Now the shots don’t do thing. It could take a weeks before he’s susceptible again”.

“And we can’t wait that long.” Doctor Badger said. “We can’t let it get out that we still have a savage predator that can’t be cured. It’d open up Pandora’s Box all over again”.

“Not to mention the outpour of mammals demanding to know where the hero of Zootopia is”. Doctor Stripes mentioned, gathering a round of agreements with one _“for the most part”_.

“Which is why I believe there is only one solution to go about this. It’s dangerous, and definitely insane, but so’s the situation.” All the mammals in the room were turned to Madge as she took a deep breath.

“We have to take the restraints off of Mr. Wilde and leave him, for the most part, under Miss Hopps’s care”.

Everyone’s eyes immediately enlarged, with Dr. Aussie speaking up. “You’re going to have to explain how your plan would end well for either mammal in that room”.

“With Mr. Wilde’s system immune to anesthesia, we can’t put him to sleep. Once he wakes up, he’s not going to be able to fall back to sleep unless he’s stimulated to the point of exhaustion. Something that can’t be achieved if he’s restrained to a bed for days on end. He needs to wear himself out. And seeing as how his heart rate depends on how close he is to Miss Hopps, she would have to stay by his side injecting him every night when he falls asleep until cured”.

All the mammals in the room had reactions from shock, puzzlement, and even anger over the only potential solution. They knew her plan was indeed insane, and furious that such a concept existed at all, but no one could come up with an alternative.

“Is there really no other way?” Dr. Stripes asked with a voice of concern.

“None that I can think of that wouldn’t result in a media aftershock. It’s only a matter of time before the knowledge of a predator resilient against the antidote gets out. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that it’d be best to take care of this before anyone even knows that this happened.” Madge said, gaining a few reluctant nods from the professionals in the room, save for one raccoon.

“Except when you consider the fact that no matter how bad the backlash from the news of an incurable savage would be, it couldn’t be worse than the headlines of Officer Hopps, one of the ZPD’s most renowned recruits in history, being killed by said predator under her care.”

Everyone in the room felt the pressure being pressed further down from the raccoon’s merited worries. Could they really suggest that a savage, primitive fox be looked after by a tiny bunny? Were the hopes of a positive outcome worth the risks? Even Doctor Aussie, a mammal so infatuated with the sight of the duo’s relationship, had to turn away from the others just to look at them to see if he could really approve of such a plan.

“I understand your concerns Silvana. I really do.” Doctor Badger said with a sigh. “But I’m just not seeing any alternatives. Besides, he’s clearly docile next to her. Heck for all we know he might actually consider her someone to protect when you think about how he lunged at me when I walked into the room”.

“But did he do it to protect Miss Hopps, or himself? Was it even a show of protection? Assertion? What if he just trying to fend off a possible rival over his next perceived meal?” Silvana said, earning a few groans from everyone except the wide-eyed bilby. “He might be calm next to her now, but how can we be sure he’ll remain that way once the restraints are off? I just want some reassurance that that bunny on the other side will be safe”.

“I think you might be able to get some now.” Doctor Aussie said, causing all the mammals to turn back to the window. Slowly their eyes widened as their breaths were taken away at the astonishing display before them.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Three days.” Judy whispered, earning a thanks from the badger over the intercom before being once again surrounded in silence save for the gentle breathing of the fox sleeping next to her.

She could only imagine the conversations taking place on the other side of the wall amongst the medical experts, earning a slight chuckle when she imagined their confusion at such a sight.

A fox, infected be _midnicampum holicithias_, being looked after by his natural prey thousands of years ago, a bunny. The curiosity only amplified knowing that despite his overdosed condition, not only was this canid not relying on his feral instincts in such a stress filled situation, but instead on a little lagomorph’s presence to stay calm.

Judy looked up to her fox and smiled. His muzzle was lowered towards her direction, taking slow, deep breathes of her scent. She just couldn’t wrap her mind around this bizarre fox’s behavior.

She was the bunny who blackmailed him into helping her, nearly bringing him to death’s doorstep by ways of being iced, mauled, and drowned. Raised his hopes up before demeaning him and all predators on a live interview. Then to top it all off, after he had the kindness within him to forgive her, threw away his advice, leading to him nearly dying from a train crashed and shot with nighthowler pellets from a power-hungry lamb.

But despite all those grievances, the light smile on the corners of his muzzle told her he didn’t care. Blissful sleep had overtaken him, and he was happy. And with him happy, she felt she could be happy…

At least she felt she should, but with the low hum of the air conditioner still running, she was having a hard time doing so. The room was much colder than any of the rooms around the hospital. It was closer to that of Mr. Big’s office than that of a room meant for patient comfort.

Judy figured that from how hot he felt when she tried to comfort him back at the museum, it’s probably a safety measure to keep his body temperature down. No matter the reason, it didn’t hide the fact that her shorter fur and thin material of the hospital gown made the chill in the air all the more uncomfortable even after she managed to carefully slip her legs under the sheets.

Her body gave off a tiny shiver as she felt the breeze in the air, causing the bed frame to lightly shake. She tried to rub her paws against her forearms to warm up, only to turn her head when she heard a tired groan to see Nick looking at her with his eyes half opened.

“Oh Nick!” Judy quietly exclaimed as he looked over the shivering bunny. “I’m so sorry for waking you. You just close your eyes and go back to sleep.”

She scooted closer to comfort him back to sleep, only to stop when he shifted his back to bring his tail to her side. It moved to the other side of her waist, and she could feel it almost curl like a hook, lightly tugging for her to come closer. She listened to the appendage and scooted up to him until she was nestled in close.

His fur, while not nearly as hot as back at the museum, was warm to the touch even on the outside of his own gown. He was a living heat lamp that Judy couldn’t resist snuggling next to for warmth as his tail laid across her chest like a blanket. The softest, fluffiest blanket she had ever felt in her life.

She looked up to the fox with a smile as she hugged his tail. “Thanks Slick”.

Looking her over once more to see her happy, he allowed his eyes to creak shut while taking in a few deep inhales. With Judy snuggling and stroking his tail, sleep found it’s way once again.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That…no. T-that didn’t just happen. There’s no way that just happened.” Doctor Stripes sputtered.

“Did and IS happening Henry.” Doctor Aussie said, allowing his excitement to boil over as he watched the two. “He’s lending her his tail! Oh what I wouldn’t give to have a psychologist on the team to hear their thoughts on this”!

“Aren’t foxes very picky about who touches their tails?” Silvana asked.

“Uh, no. Skunks are picky. I imagine raccoons can be a little picky?” Le Pew asked, earning a nod from Silvana. “For foxes…touching their tails to them is sacred. They usually only allow very close family or kits anywhere near them. Even then I’ve heard some spouses can actually struggle to let their significant other touch them”.

“She must really be someone special to him.” Doctor Aussie said.

“Just another reason why we should leave him in her care.” Doctor Badger said, bringing everyone’s attention, save for Silvana, back to her. “I don’t know why he cares about her so much, or how she can be so content near him, but what I do know is that I’ve seen enough to tell me that if there’s one mammal who can save him, it’s that crazy bunny on the other side”.

They all pondered the badger’s words. Options were limited, with most of them leading to a media backlash Zootopia didn’t need right now. They knew they only had one option that would lead to a cured fox and civil balance.

One by one they gave their votes of approval, except once again from the raccoon looking through the window.

Madge walked to her side, looking at the duo. “How about you Silvana”?

Her head fell forward as she took a deep sigh. “I just don’t want to be responsible for the death of an innocent mammal if this doesn’t work. I can’t live with that”.

Madge patted the poor raccoon on the back. “It will work Silvana. And…if in the one in a million chance it doesn’t, it won’t be on you. I came up with the idea, and Miss Hopps is the only one who can decide whether or not to go through with it”.

The realization dawned upon Silvana as she brought her head up. “The choice is up to Miss Hopps.” She whispered, earning a nod from Madge. She turned to the badger. “Very well Madge. Let’s give it a go”.

Madge looked at her with a smile before going to her phone. “Chief, it’s Madge. I think we have a plan”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully it was somewhat worth the wait, and hopefully the next chapter won't take as long. But hey, life is crazy right? See ya whenever!


	5. I'll Do It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy hears the plan and makes the right choice. They make one last preparation involving Nick. Needless to say, it's off to a bad start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about taking so long. College courses have been taking up a lot of my free time. Anyway, I hope you'll like it and leave a comment at the bottom.

Of all the pleasures Judy had experienced in her life, whether it be her mother’s fresh baked carrot cake or being the last sibling standing in an all-out snowball fight, nothing could compare to the feeling of petting a fox’s tail.

Each time she made a pass through his fur, her paw felt like it was passing through thousands of silk strands as warm as his red coat. She giggled when the spoiled appendage would start flopping up and down on her chest, only stopping when she resumed her petting. Not that she minded stroking the softest fur she ever felt, as well as getting a slight moan of pleasure from Nick every once in a while.

She could have petted his tail all day if it weren’t for the quiet noise coming from the door as it slowly opened. Judy turned to Nick to make sure he was still asleep before turning back to see a sight she hadn’t seen in quite a while.

A ZPD bot slowly crept up to the side of the bed, only stopping once in a while when the mounted camera noticed movement from the sleeping fox. Judy worked with it, putting her ears in front of Nick’s nose every time he began to stir to knock him back out. When it was finally within range, its arm reached out with a Carrot Phone and headphones for the bunny before rolling out of the room.

Right as the door closed, the phone vibrated for an incoming MuzzleTime call. She answered to see Doctor Badger and Chief Bogo in the same room. The doctor gestured for Judy to put on the headphones.

“Can you hear us okay Miss Hopps?” Doctor Badger asked.

“Yes.” Judy whispered back.

“Good. How are you feeling”?

She looked up to see Nick in blissful sleep with a small smile on his muzzle before turning back to the phone. “No complaints” Judy responded with a smile of her own, one hand holding the phone while the other continued to pet his tail. “This big softy’s been nothing but a sweetheart”.

“That’s good to hear.” Doctor Badger responded a small smile. “We’ve been watching you two interact the whole time. We’ve never seen anything like it”.

“Any theories on why he’s been like this”?

Doctor Badger shook her head. “None whatsoever. Your mere three-day relationship only further perplexes any possible theories. We just can’t believe such a bond exists between a bunny and a fox”.

“That makes two of us.” Judy responded, giving an amused sideways glance when she heard a moan of pleasure emitting from the sleeping fox.

“We do have an idea however on how to move forward”. Doctor Badger said, receiving Judy’s full attention. “Do you have any training with giving shots?”

Judy’s nose began to twitch as she laid back, thinking about the question for a second. “I uh…I had some lessons a while back when I was in my teens.” Judy responded.

With 275 brothers and sisters living under one massive roof, keeping track of every bunny’s upkeep 24/7 was nearly impossible for two outstanding parents. In order to help the household run smoothly, it was common practice to teach each maturing litter step-by-step how to take care of themselves, and help with the younger litters.

By their teen years, they’re briefly taught how to give shots in case of B12 deficiency. It was hardly ever used, but a good lesson to teach just in case.

“I imagine you want me to give the shots?” Judy asked, hiding her apprehension. It’s been so many years since she’s given a shot, and the idea of having to give one for the sake of saving a life was unnerving to say the least. She would gladly do it for her fox, but it was daunting none the less.

Doctor Badger nodded her head. “You’re the only mammal that can calm him down to the point where his body can ingest the antidote.” Doctor Badger said, grateful for the bunny’s novice experience in injections.

“How many shots should I give him”?

“We’re going to go with dosages meant for wolves, so I would say no more than three. Once every night when he’s asleep for three days”.

“Should I inject the anesthesia as well”?

Both Bogo and Doctor Badger looked to each other, silently acknowledging that now was the time to get the ball rolling. Doctor Badger looked back to the phone. “I’m afraid the anesthesia won’t work on him”.

Judy’s ears slowly fell limp. “Then how is he supposed to stay asleep”?

“Well…that’s where you come in”.

The next few minutes went by in a flash for the bunny as the doctor conveyed basics of the plan, shaking her to the core over its insanity. She alone would be in charge of the poor fox sleeping next to her. The one to stay by his side and help him to fall sleep. All the while allowing him to roam as he pleased. Unrestrained.

“Would we be staying in this room the whole time?” Judy asked, making sure to grasp every aspect of this situation. For both their sakes, she couldn’t afford to miss a single detail.

“No, that room’s too crowded with all the medical equipment scattered about. He’ll need more space to roam in order to burn off any energy over the next few days. The entire hallway, including the adjacent rooms, will all be available to use.” Doctor Badger said.

So far, the doctor was thankful for her calm demeanor over this conversation. From what she’s heard from others who’ve worked with bunnies, they tend to be very skittish over stressful situations. Then again, with this being the same bunny who embraced an overdosed savage fox, she shouldn’t have been surprised.

“What if someone wants to talk to me?” Judy asked, thinking about her parents. No doubt they were worried from her running out on them with the truck and not calling for two days

“Any forms of communication to the outside world will need my approval. Especially visitors.” Bogo answered. “Your parents are first on the list. They’ve been hounding the station for the last two days asking for you”.

Judy felt a twinge of embarrassment as she lightly scratch Nick’s tail, trying to keep her mind off the fact that her parents have been bothering her overbearing boss. “Thank you sir.” She meekly responded. “What all do they know”?

“The same thing as everyone else; you stopped a terrorist plot that had something to do with the recent savage predators. You were injured but are expected to make a full recovery.” Bogo let out a half grunt/half chuckle. “I had to go more into detail with your injury to keep father from passing out”.

“That sounds about right.” Judy said as she rolled her eyes. “Who all knows about Nick’s condition”?

“Everyone in the hospital is aware of Nick’s admittance to this ward, but only a handful know of his entire condition. We don’t want it getting out that we have a predator with a resilience to the antidote”.

“Even worse a fox.” Doctor Badger stated. She noticed Judy’s confused glare toward her for such a statement. “Oh I’m not saying that personally, it’s just how other mammals think of them.”

Judy groaned with annoyance. She couldn’t argue with what was sadly the truth. She could proselytize to all of Zootopia (Despite her current lack of credibility) of Nick’s sacrifice and dedication to help a head strong bunny save their social/political infrastructure, but all they would think is the dangers of incurable savages. Worst of all, heaven forbid, a fox.

“This is the very reason why we’re offering this solution.” Doctor Badger continued. “Our only other solution is to wait a few weeks for his anesthetic immunity to wear off”.

Judy shuttered at the thought. She would do it of course if necessary, but the idea of staying in one room for weeks if given the choice was repulsive to say the least. That, and she couldn’t bear the thought of her friend restrained for such a long period.

Bogo interrupted. “Nevertheless, I need to make it very clear that the choice is completely up to you”.

Judy nodded her head in acknowledgement. She looked up to Nick, seeing his exhausted face. It looked as though his overtaxed muscles on his muzzle were still trying to loosen from two days of fierce, none stop anxiety and resistance.

She knew the risks should this plan go wrong. She knew that in the small off chance he…wouldn’t be a good fox, she wouldn’t be there to tell him how sorry she was. How much his sacrifice and devotion meant to her and the very city that’s treated him like an unwanted burden.

He didn’t deserve that. Not for all he’s done, and definitely not for who he is. And despite the risks involved, Judy knew he would suffer so much longer being strapped in the same spot for weeks on end. She hardly needed a second to make her decision

“I’ll do it”.

Bogo simply nodded, letting out an amused snort while Doctor Badger got up and walked away. “Figured as much. Are you sure you’re fully aware of the risks”?

“I am sir, but I can’t let him suffer that long.” She gave his tail a light scratch, feeling a deep puff of air exhale from his muzzle as she leaned against him. “He’s such a good fox”.

“Hopps, I have to say that out of all the officers under my command, you’re one of my most considerate. As well as insane”.

Judy chuckled with a light shrug. “As the first bunny officer, I already know that”.

“I’m sure you do.” Bogo responded with a slight smile, before slowly bringing himself back to his staunch persona. He couldn’t afford to show too strong of a display of his admiration for diligence. “Anyway, we’ll get the areas ready for your stay. Shouldn’t take too long to-“.

“_Stripes, Aussie, Le Pew, Ringtail! How’s it going back there?!_” Doctor Badger called out in the back, bringing Chief Bogo’s attention to the entrance. Judy could faintly hear their loud conversation through the phone.

“_We’re just about done!_” Le Pew responded. “_Any updates_”?

“_She accepted_”!

“_Hah! I knew she would!_” Aussie shouted. “_How’s he been so far_”?

“_Who? Wilde_”?

“_No, the cape buffalo._” The chief’s brows lowered in annoyance. “_Yes Wilde_”!

“_Nothing new, just enjoying the attention his tail’s receiving_”.

“_Oh that’s too adorable!_” Doctor Aussie exclaimed, earning a chuckle from Judy. If it weren’t for his deeper, more mature voice (for a bilby at least), she could have easily mistaken him for Clawhouser.

The badger slowly came back into view of the phone with a look of amusement on her face, unlike the cape buffalo staring at her.

“Would you mind explaining why you felt it was acceptable to start preparations before we even started this little chat?” Bogo asked, demanding to know what she was thinking in going behind his back.

“The sooner we get things rolling, the sooner we can give him his first dose. Plus it’s almost midnight and we need to take care of something with Mr. Wilde before he goes to sleep for the rest of the night” Doctor Badger explained. “Besides, I think we all knew she would accept”.

This was the second time Judy had seen Bogo’s authority overridden by logic, the first being from Nick back at the rainforest district. He had no arguments to counter, so the doctor turned her attention to the screen.

“The others are just about done leading the orderlies to take care of the area you’ll be staying in. We just need to take of something with Mr. Wilde. And quite frankly it’s not going to be pleasant for any of us”.

Judy’s nose began to twitch as she cocked her head. They had Nick bound to a bed for two days trying to pump him full of anesthesia and antidote. What else could they possibly do to the poor fox?

“He needs a quick body wipe treatment before you both settle in for the night”.

…

“…that’s it?” Judy asked. She was expecting something much worse; file his claws down, force a set of padded dentures into his muzzle, or even fit him with a remote activated shock collar. Anything but simple hygiene.

“Basically. We just need you to keep him calm while the orderlies take care of it. He had a bit of a freak out the first time they treated him”.

“Were they rough with him?”

“Only to the extent needed to keep him from attacking. If you can keep him distracted, it should go a lot smoother.” Doctor Badger said before turning to the open door. “Ah, here they are now”. She turned the screen to show a grizzly and black bear in scrubs with a cart full of supplies barely out of her sight before turning the camera back to her.

“I’m going to go get the others while you wake him up. Sound good?” Judy gave an affirmative nod. “Good. I’ll call you on the intercom in a couple of minutes.” Doctor Badger said before hanging up.

Taking in a deep breath, Judy carefully brought herself using her good leg, putting her paw on the head rest for balance. Now at his eye level, she placed her paw on the side of his fluffed neck, gently jostling his fur.

“_Nick…Nick…_” Judy whispered, growing a little in volume as his eyes fought to stay shut. “I need you to wake up”.

Slowly his eyes creaked open as he opened his jaw wide for a yawn, displaying a full set of jagged teeth and canines with his tongue curled. Judy felt a shudder run up her spine from the sight. Prey or not, no mammal would feel at ease knowing that they could be at the receiving end of fangs belonging to a savage mammal. It just reminded her the risks of this plan.

Then again, the corners of his muzzle that slowly formed a light smile upon seeing her reminded her of who this savage mammal was.

“Hey Nick” Judy said as she brought her paw up to the side of his cheek. “Did you have a good nap?” He simply tilted his head, resting it on her paw as his eyes slowly closed again. She smiled as she lightly jostled his cheek. “I know you're still tired, but we got to take care of something. Okay Slick”?

Judy kept lightly patting his cheek to keep him awake when the intercom turned on. “Are you ready to begin Miss Hopps?” Despite trying to keep her volume down to a whisper, any bit of fatigue left the fox vanished as he looked around the top of the room, growling in annoyance at the phantom voice. If it wasn’t his bunny, he wanted them gone.

The team watched behind the window in suspense as Judy ran her paws down the back of his head, bringing his heart rate to a more normal speed on the monitor. With his anxiety lowered, Judy looked to the window to give a thumbs up.

Both Nick and Judy turned to the door, slowly opening as the two bears came in with the cart. As he began to rumble with a growl building up, Judy turned to him to pet his head while the orderlies grabbed their supplies.

“Hey now, look at me.” Judy said in a soft, caring tone. “It’ll be okay. They’re just here to clean you up real quick. I’m going to be right here”.

Judy noticed how his eyes kept darting back and forth between the large duo and herself. Like he was trying to decide whether to keep visual tabs on the intruders, or just focus on the bunny next to him. She couldn’t help but find it a little humorous.

At least until his pupils began to dilate as his breathing became panicked. He started to pull away from the restraints, trying in vain to slip away from the terrifying sight. His heart rate was picking up once again, faster than when Doctor Badger entered the room. He began to shriek and scream like a wounded animal.

“It’s okay Nick! It’s okay. You’ll be alright.” Judy said, panic building in her as he began to tremble and cry. She tried to keep his eyes focused on hers, but he was having none of it in comparison to what he was focused on. She took a second to look behind to see what was disturbing him.

One of them was approaching, unstrapping the back of the heinous device.

Whatever alarm she had over the situation was immediately replaced with anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's the thing with this story: these last two chapters have been taking longer to write because I had to set up the rules and guidelines for this story in order to try my best to prevent plot holes later on. 
> 
> With the rules out of the way, I'm hoping I can write this faster, making the cavity inducing story I've been wanting to make.
> 
> So...yeah. See ya later!


	6. It's Okay Nick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy goes against the orderlies and her own boss. She gets her's and Nick's way, but a brief new struggle occurs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this taking so long. With my college finals and adaptions needed due to the coronavirus, I was very preoccupied. Hopefully this chapter will be up to your liking. And be sure to read the end notes at the bottom.

“Get that away from him now!” Judy shouted towards the orderly, putting as much venom in her voice as she could muster. She needed the grizzly to know she meant it as she stood on the bed between him and Nick.

“Miss Hopps, please calm yourself” The black bear said, only making her madder as he tried to walk forward with the muzzle in paw. “It’s just a safety measure. It’ll come right off when we’re done”.

“It’s not going on at all.” Judy said, with a cold grimness in her voice. Both of the orderlies stopped. She placed her paw behind her back to keep in contact with the fox, letting him know she was with him.

“Miss Hopps you’ll have to forgive me for saying this, but this muzzle’s going on him whether you want it or not.” The grizzly spoke up as they walked forward, trying to regain control over the situation. He had a job to do, and he wasn’t about to let some cute little bunny-

Judy glared at him with amethyst daggers ready to skin a bear. “I may only have one good leg, but I promise you; try it and you’ll find your snout locked in”.

They stopped again.

“I uh…I don’t think it’s big enough.” The black bear said.

“Trust me, I can make it fit”.

“Hopps” Bogo spoke on the intercom in a firm tone. “What do you think you’re doing”?

Judy kept her eyes locked on the duo, daring them to come closer as she spoke up to allow Bogo to hear her through the open door. “I’m letting them know that that muzzle is not coming anywhere near Nick.”

“That’s not for you to decide. Stand aside and let them do what they have to do”.

“I’m not stopping them.” Judy continued with a glare fixated on them. “They’re more than free to clean him, but they won’t be putting that on him”.

“Hopps, I’m ordering you to stand down”.

Judy turned her attention to the window. “I’m sorry chief, but I can’t do that.” She felt her nerves cool down for her stomach to twist as she spoke to her boss. “I can’t let them force that on him”.

The few seconds of silence felt like an eternity. She knew she was actively defying her commanding officer’s direct orders. Though with Nick’s head pressed against her back, trying to hide behind her while his whole body was shaking from pure terror, she had no regrets. She merely petted his head before the intercom came back on.

“Miss Hopps” Doctor Badger asked. “What exactly is the problem here? There's no speciest intentions; we’re doing what we’ve done to the other savage predators”.

“No, I know that. It’s just… he mentally can’t have that on”.

“What do you mean”?

Judy turned back around to look down into Nick’s eyes, now a mixture of green and tearstained red. She placed one paw under his muzzle while the other continued to pet him, running her paw from his forehead down to his neck. His eyes closed a little each time her paw came back to his forehead, only to open with anxiety.

“I’m sorry Nick; they have to know” Judy softly said. She didn’t want to tell such a personal story to a group of strangers, yet she knew she had no choice. She gently ruffled the top of his head before turning back to the window.

She gave them a brief rundown of his childhood drama, making sure not to dive too deeply into his younger expectations and later outlook on the world. She knew he wouldn’t want too much of his personal mindset on display. After she finish the story, trying not to think too hard of the tears streaming down that tiny fox’s face, she turned back to Nick to comfort him while they had a brief chat.

“I hope you’ll forgive me for that.” Judy said, cupping the sides of his cheeks. He merely allowed the weight of his head to rest on her open paws. She could still feel his anxiety just from touching him, but it wasn’t anger or disappointment. He didn’t know about Judy telling his story, and he certainly didn’t care for the time being, so why should she?

\----------------------------------------------

“Why do some children have to be so awful?” Silvana said aloud, taken back from the story.

“It’s just how they can be.” Le Pew said. “Trust me, growing up as a skunk, you get your fair share of bullying”.

“But being muzzled by a group of prey as a toddler? It’s just…” Silvana clenched her fists before allowing her hands and head to drop. She merely shook her head at the thought of that poor little tod.

“I’m guessing the muzzle is out of the question?” Bogo asked, still trying to comprehend the fact that a little bunny denied his orders.

“Given the current effects of the nighthowler on his cerebral cortex, adding any further bouts of intense stress could affect the antidote’s effects. So yeah, best not to do it.” Doctor Aussie said.

They followed up with a quick discussion on how to move forward as, despite the consequences of putting it on him, they still needed to ensure the orderlies’ safety. With another round of approvals, Doctor Badger returned to the intercom.

“Gentlemammals” Doctor Badger said, gaining the orderlies’ attention. “Put the muzzle away.” She watched as they locked it away in one of the numerous drawers on the cart before focusing on the duo. “Miss Hopps, I need you pay close attention; while they take care of scrubbing Mr. Wilde down, they’re going to be holding him down for a couple of minutes. We need you to stay in front of him while they do it. Keep his eyes locked onto yours to make sure he doesn’t sink his teeth into any bears.” Judy gave nod of acknowledgement, while the orderlies gave each other a look of concern.

As for the team behind the glass, they had their full attention on the duo. Now it was time to see a how savage fox, free from him bounds, would react with the bunny he so desperately wants.

\----------------------------------------------

“You hear that Nick? No muzzles.” Judy softly said, keeping one hand under his chin while the other ran down the back of his head. A complicated feat given the balance needed to stand on one good leg.

As the Nick saw the device being stored away, Judy could feel his pulse in his neck lower. He was still on high alert, but at least he wasn’t panicking.

“Alright Miss Hopps; the muzzle is now out of sight. Are you ready to begin?” The grizzly asked with a tone of anxiety and frustration over a bunny calling the shots.

Judy looked to the orderlies and gave a nod. It was time to get things rolling.

Slowly they approached, each bear going to one side of the bed. Nick immediately began to growl at the intruders who were trying to get near them, only calming down slightly as he felt a small paw holding his chin to keep his eyes locked onto hers.

“I know Nick, I know. Just keep looking at me.” Judy spoke softly, trying her best to keep his attention on her as they gripped his arms and shoulders to prevent him from squirming while they began to remove the various hook ups and the IV.

His growls grew louder in strength as he felt the pressure from their oversized paws press against the back of his shoulder blades, as if teasing him to lunge forward. With the grey bunny in front of him however, it wasn’t an option.

With the electrodes ripped from his arm however, he shrieked at the sudden pain before sharply turning to the offending paw with his mouth wide open.

“Nick no!” Judy yelled, shooting her arm out in front of his open maw.

Everything moved all at once; the orderly found himself on the ground shaking from nearly being gnawed. The team behind the glass jumped from the sudden attack, with Silvana nearly having a heart attack.

As for Judy, her forearm was in Nick’s opened mouth.

Stunned and unable to move, time slowed down. The pressure of his back canines weighing on her fragile skin, she waited for that final bit of pressure to pierce her skin. For her best friend she caused this affliction to fall upon to draw blood.

All she felt however was shaking, and heard a gargling swallow emit from his throat. She looked into his panicked, dilated eyes as he sat frozen in place. His mouth was still open wide, struggling to not close any further. Slowly, she pulled her arm away, careful not to graze his fangs.

She could feel his anxiety through his shaking breathing over nearly biting his bunny by accident. He brought his head down to look at her arm, inspecting for any damage he might have caused. Judy looked to both of the orderlies, mouthing “_carefully_”.

They resumed their work, this time working at a slower pace to gently pull the electrodes off. Nick on the other hand, was busy licking her arm over the reddened spots where his fangs were pressed down.

Judy caressed the side of his neck, letting him do what he needed. She could only let her heart feel softened over his attention to her safety. She wasn’t bleeding, but that didn’t stop him from ensuring any potential wounds were sealed.

On the other side of the window, the team’s collective heart rates slowly returned to normal, with Bogo helping Stripes up off the floor.

“Well, that was…something.” Aussie spoke up, leaning against the window for support as he worked to catch his breathe. “Let’s hope these surprises don’t become a habit with these two”.

“**Fat chance**.” Bogo and Badger both said.

They continued their observations as the final electrode and IV were extracted. The orderlies both looked to each other with a nod before the black bear turned to Judy, with her in turn looking into Nick’s eyes, breaking his concentration with her arm.

“They just have to clean you up real quick, then we can go back to bed. Okay?” Judy softly spoke as the orderlies finally undid the restraints. Feeling his bounds lifted, he tried throwing himself forward to her, only to be reprimanded by two pairs of large paws holding him back.

“Let’s do it.” The black bear said to the grizzly. They lifted him up, keeping their paws wrapped around his arms, torso, and legs, effectively restraining all his movements, no matter how much he squirmed, save for his muzzle. Judy carefully followed behind as they carried him to the table, continuously stroking down his muzzle to keep him relaxed.

Only it wasn’t working. At least, not in the way she was hoping.

Nick wasn’t trying to attack the orderlies, but he was looking to Judy with sadness and panic in his eyes. Distressed as two oversized mammals were carrying him away while she was doing nothing to stop them. His eyes were asking her “_why aren’t you stopping them? Tell them to let go_”.

She knew as the orderlies disrobed him on the table (making sure to keep her eyes on his) that it would be over very quickly. It didn’t make his expressions any less painful when they had to hold him down. It was the same face he gave her months ago after the press conference. A look of disappointment over her actions. It made the knife in her gut twist with guilt.

“Just about done here.” The black bear said, finishing by carefully wiping Nick’s face, the smell of sanitizer now thick in the air.

Judy continued to stroke his forehead down to the back of neck, allowing tears to flow down her eyes alongside with the fox’s. She rehearsed in her mind the words she would speak to him, unable to speak them with the sad whimpers he made over the situation. She was letting him suffer because of her lack of foresight. Again.

“Alright, now for the tail.” The grizzly said, slipping the fluffy appendage through the back of the black, formfitting shorts. Judy could only continue to pet him, grateful that it was almost over.

“Are you two all done in there?” Doctor Badger asked over the intercom. The bears gave a nod to the window, paws still wrapped around the writhing, panicked fox. “In that case, put him down slowly in front of Miss Hopps, but be ready to pull him back if he attacks”.

Everyone focused as the orderlies lowered Nick to the ground, allowing his front and back paws to make contact with the ground. As they slowly loosened their grip, Nick lunged out from the opening, tackling Judy to the ground. They shot their paws forward to restrain him, only for a bunny’s arm to shoot forward with her paw in the air, signaling them to stop.

Much to all their relief, rather than seeing a bunny fending off a savage mammal’s canines, Judy was simply lying on her back with Nick on top of her. He was snuggling his muzzle into the crook of her neck, dampening her fur with his tears. Whether it be from stress, relief, or a mixture of both, no one could tell.

It didn’t matter anyway as Judy turned him over so they would be on their sides. His arm was draped over her side, letting the weight sag behind her back. The full concept of a hug may have not been fully apparent to the savage fox, but certainly wasn’t to the bunny as she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She could fell his chest shake with each sob, and hear each whine emitted slowly dying down as she rubbed the back of his head.

_It’s okay Nick. It’s okay…_

\----------------------------------------------

On the other side of the window, they watch how the tiny bunny was comforting the savage fox. Her savage fox. No panic, no caution, just small gestures to let him know that she was there to help him.

“So…I guess we leave them to each other’s company?” Doctor Badger asked, making sure she had everyone’s agreement. The team, as well as Bogo, all gave their support.

“I can take the first watch.” Doctor Aussie said, eager to watch over their interactions.

“Very well.” Bogo said before looking over the entire team. “Keep me informed of any new developments. If there’s any ‘what ifs’ or ‘should we’ in question, you run it by me first.”

With another round of acknowledgement, he left them to their tasks, departing to the empty hallway reserved for the strange duo. He passed the pile of initial supplies for the first night and exited the wing of the hospital, stopping by the rhino officer at the security checkpoint.

“Nobody goes in without some form of approval from me, and nobody leaves without their acknowledge of the legal consequences should they tell a single soul what’s going on here. Is that understood”?

“Yes sir”.

With a nod of approval, Bogo finally left to get a few hours of well warranted sleep in before the next shift. After all, no matter what situations have occurred within the last few hours, he had a feeling that that crazy, somewhat (thankfully in this case) defiant bunny and savage fox were going to be the source of many migraines in the near future. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry about the next chapter, I plan for more fluff and humor to be injected. 
> 
> I have a quick question for everyone. When I did Judy's Tundratown Christmas, I mentioned that I should do more holiday themed stories more often. Well, a one shot story I had in mind was for April Fools was plan, but I never wrote it because I was afraid of how some people would take it.
> 
> The main story would be that a certain favorite fox of Judy's suffered a fatal accident on her family's farm. She would give her final words at his small funeral, saying how much he meant to her, and how he was there to comfort her when she needed it. She would say her goodbyes.
> 
> Only then would Nick speak up to remind her that it's just a fox plushie.
> 
> She would laugh and mention how she knew that, but still felt bad seeing as how it was her favorite one to snuggle up to when she was in her self exile from Zootopia for a while. It was a darn shame that her younger siblings were too rough with it and accidentally tore it. 
> 
> He'd hug her, remind her that she had a better fox, and they would be on their way to join Judy's family back in the house for dinner.
> 
> So basically, it was my goal to fool you as the reader into thinking that Judy was grieving over losing Nick when it was just a fox plushie. April Fools.
> 
> My concern was that some of you would have been upset to have been played like that because trust me, I had a number of ways to mislead you. Keep the physical descriptions of the doll similar to Nick, have Judy list traits close to Nick, and even throw the Major Character Death tag just to really drive home the idea of what type of story this was.
> 
> So my question is whether or not you would have been offended if I had written it. Also, how are you liking this story so far? I always love to hear feedback :)


	7. We Made It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alone at last, Nick and Judy settle in for the night. Some awkward hijinks ensue before Judy comes to a wonderful realization. Afterwards, sleep finally overtakes the duo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we go; the first chapter with Judy and Nick all alone. I've been waiting to write these chapters for so long now, that I'm pretty excited. You can tell mostly because of my record time writing it. 
> 
> With that said, enjoy the chapter and be sure to read the notes afterwards for a question I have.

“_Sssh…It’s just us Nick. It’ll be alright now. Deep breathes._” Judy whispered, both to Nick and herself as they remained on the cold tiled ground snuggled up to each other. She remembered him speaking similar words of comfort to her almost three days ago under a bridge. 

Now here she was, comforting her savage friend, letting him know that she would be there for him as he was for her. She laid there, embracing him while her paw caressed the back of his head, feeling his sobbing slowly dying down.

“_Miss Hopps_” Doctor Badger whispered on the intercom. “_We’ll be going home for the night. Doctor Aussie has volunteered to take the first shift to watch over both of you. Everything you’ll be needing for tonight is out in the middle of the hallway. Do you have any questions for us?_” Without looking up towards the window, Judy shook her head. “_In that case, just give us a couple of minutes to leave, and the hallway and rooms are all yours. Have a good night_”. 

With the noise of the intercom turned off, Judy brought herself up onto her knees, with Nick struggling to get up from his spot. With the anxiety of the orderlies gone, Nick was back to the mercy of his sleep deprecation.

“I know you’re tired Nick, but we’re almost there to bed.” Judy said as she ruffled the fur under his chin, his eyes struggling to stay open. “Please get up.” While she was able to get two days worth of sleep already, the emotional roller coaster she’s been on left her exhausted and ready for bed. 

She tried to hop on her feet to help him up, only to be reprimanded by the reminder of her injured leg. She gave a cry over the sudden sharp pain before falling forward, bracing herself for impact against the hard floor, only to see Nick move in front of her in a red flash. 

She landed on a fluffy, cushioned surface that knew when it was time to move in order to help his bunny. She gave breathe of relief, stirring the fur on his back. 

“Thanks Slick.” Judy said, giving his back a light scratch before trying once again to get back up, minding her injury this time.

It was tricky given the position she landed on him, something that Nick didn’t miss as he slowly stood up on all fours, bring his bunny up with him. Feeling the pressure where she was leaning, he moved around to her right side to act as her crutch.

Judy could only smile at Nick’s consideration for her safety, giving him a quick hug before turning to the sound of a door closing, echoing down the end of the hallway. Knowing the coast was clear, she grabbed the phone and earphones from the bed before starting their trek out of the empty room into the hallway.

Nick stayed close to her side, making sure to move slowly as to not let his bunny fall forward or lag behind. His claws, more protruded than usual due to his condition, tapped and echoed across the tiled floors. Something he must have been aware of as Judy felt the tiny shifts in his body to ensure he didn’t step on her own paws.

In the center of the lowly lit hall were all the supplies needed for the first night; some PJs for Judy, a change of clothes for both of them, a scooter to help her get around, instructions to care for her injury, various medical/first aid devices and kits (including the antidote and syringe), and an unusual, rather thick bracelet. 

Most important, aside from the antidote of course, was the bold list of instructions right next to the bracelet:

\- Keep this bracelet on when you go to bed for the next few nights. It’ll help you to wake up without disturbing Mr. Wilde.   
\- Set your phone on the lowest volume and light setting. Call the number listed once you wake up.  
\- Keep the phone, headphones, antidote and syringe all nearby. Preferably on the nightstand near the bed.   
\- Head to bed as soon as possible. We’ll wake you up between 2-3 AM.  
\- Stay safe and have a good night. Mr. Wilde will be back to normal in no time :)

Judy smiled at the last instruction as she grabbed the antidote, syringe, and change of PJs. With the weight of the day heavy on her, even more so with Nick struggling not to sway while standing, she locked the bracelet onto her wrist and took a look around the hallway to the various rooms. 

Deciding that it didn’t matter what room they took, Judy reached around his muzzle to lightly ruffle the side of Nick’s cheek to keep him awake as they walked to one of the open rooms. She contemplated on grabbing the scooter, but figured that for now, her fluffy four-legged crutch would do just fine for tonight. 

Judy took a deep breath of the darkened room. A light scent of clean sheets pleasantly mixed with the smell of lavender. It had two large mammal sized beds with a height adjustment setting with white percale sheets covering both of them. 

It was a nice change of pace to the freezing room with unchanged sheets and strong sterilized scent they were both subjected to for the last few hours. More so with Nick, who was looking at the beds with longing in his tired eyes. Even in his savage state he knew a nice warm bed was the way to sleep in comparison to the hard ground he was so tempted to pass out on earlier.

Judy lead him to one of the beds and adjusted its height to the point where he could hop on with no difficulties. She watched in curiosity as he circled in place a couple of times, kneading the bed with each step before curling into a ball with his tail covering his muzzle. She couldn’t help but pet him on his head after seeing such an admittedly adorable sight, earning a groan of pleasure from the fox.

With Nick now comfortable, she looked to her bed with the PJs laid out, looking forward to having a real set of cloths on. The gown itself was comfy enough, but the breeze was bothersome, and it was going to be much easier (and less embarrassing) to be with a fox who was walking at the same eyelevel as the skirt. 

She carefully walked to the other bed, using her good leg to hobble along, until she reached the other side with the PJs. She reached behind to slowly undo the zipper on the back, allowing the gown to slide down her shoulders to the-

“Hmm?”

“Nick!” Judy exclaimed to the sudden appearance of the fox, grabbing the gown before it slid past her chest. Nick just sat there looking at her in dumbfounded curiosity, only slightly startled by his bunny’s bizarre outburst. 

Judy raised her finger to reprimand him, stopping right before any words of reproach could form. She looked into his emerald eyes that were filled with interest over what on earth was making her so upset.

He didn’t have any intention of seeing her in any form of immodesty. He simply wanted to follow her.

Judy leaned against the bed, taking a deep breath while shaking her head. 

_Watch your temper Jude, he doesn’t know any better. _

Whether or not he did however, she still couldn’t change in front of him. Even in his innocent, savage form, he was still her good **male** friend. There was no telling of how much of this whole ordeal he would recall when cured, and her unclothed body was not one detail she would appreciate him remembering. 

“Nick…would you mind uh…going over there for a minute?” Judy asked, pointing to the spot next to his bed. He turned his head over to where she was pointing for moment, not even getting up from his spot, before turning back to watch her. He wasn’t interested.

Judy gave a huff of air. Zipping up the back of the gown, she then tried to hobble next to his bed while he followed her, hoping to get him to go asleep. Once again he jumped on the bed, circled around in place, and curled up to sleep, only this time keeping his eyes open to ensure his bunny didn’t run off again. 

With his eyes fixed on hers, she slowly backed away without taking her eyes off his. She could see his limbs slowly tensing, getting ready to get up and follow her.

“No no Nick; no need to get up.” Judy quickly said as she held her hand up. “I’m going to be right here okay? There’s no need to follow me”.

Seeing him still in place while making it to the other side of her bed, never breaking visual contact with him, Judy opted this time to slip into her PJ pants on instead. She managed to slip them on most of the way, the silky material making it easy for her stiches, save for a tiny snag keeping them down a bit. 

She bent over to carefully undo the snag, managing to pull the pants up the rest of the way, only to jump back when she brought her head up to the same eye level as Nick’s.

“Whoa!” Judy exclaimed over his sudden appearance on her bed. How did he manage to sneak up her twice? 

Nick merely laid there, keeping his eyes on her. He already lost her again when she vanished from his sight to fix the snag, and he wasn’t intending to lose her a third time. She was his bunny to look after and protect, and he would make sure she was secure no matter where she was or what she did.

He knew it, and Judy did as well given the idea that popped into her head.

Her large ears slowly rose up. “Nick…Did you hear that?” Judy whispered in a worried tone, quickly looking side to side. Nick’s ears shot up in response as he rose up on high alert.

“I think there’s something weird going on here Slick.” Judy said, leaning in closer for dramatic effect. He leaned in as well to listen to her more earnestly, almost touching nose to nose. 

“Wait…what’s that over there?!” Judy gasped, pointing to his bed. Nick whipped his head around and raced to the position she was pointing to. He looked over the bed to see what was scaring her, giving her time to quickly undo the back zipper. 

“I think it’s under there!” Judy exclaimed, pointing under the bed. Seeing where she gestured, Nick wasted no time diving under the small space. She watched as he squirmed under the small opening, his rear end and puffed up tail being the only part of him visible. 

Judy quickly slide threw the gown off, keeping her ears open as she heard the loud sniffing and low growls emitting from the bed. With Nick still occupied, she quickly slipped the silk shirt just before Nick looked back.

She took a breath of relief, smoothing out the front of the PJs while she watched Nick walk towards her again. 

“Sorry to do that to you Slick” Judy said with a light chuckle. “But I needed a little privacy, and you were making it a bit tricky…to…”.

Nick slowly walked toward her in awe, an expression of marvel and fascination on his face. Judy stood in place and watched as he slowly circled around her, looking over every inch of her tiny body.

The dark violet PJs gave a light glow from the silk from what little light was in the room, adding a new dimension of beauty that the fox definitely enjoyed. He rubbed up against her legs and waist, letting his tail wrap around her as he enjoyed the feel of the material, and more so the bunny so close to him. 

Judy smiled at Nick affection, running her paws through the fur on his back as he circled around. He seemed so happy and free of worry. Something that he deserved after all he’s been through so far.

It had been a long day for both of them. Nick having to deal with his fear and dislike of all other mammals, and Judy with the worriment and guilt over his bizarre affliction. 

She never had a single moment to really think about the significance of where they were at this very time. She hadn’t even had the chance really contemplate why they were here in the first place until now. 

Only then did her continence slowly drop as she came to a realization. 

The events of the last few days began to gradually fill her mind in a new light; their reunion under the bridge. Hijacking and destroying an entire nighthowler lab. Surviving an attack from a group of vicious ram henchmammals. Most miraculous of all though, being spared from death by her dear savage friend. 

As she looked down to see Nick stop in front of her to look into her amethyst eyes, a small, simple message began to warm her soul:

_We made it. _

She felt a tear run down her cheek.

They discovered the nighthowler source, ended Bellwether’s schemes, and lived through all that was thrown at them. 

Judy began to chuckle with a shaky smile.

Nick stretched his neck upwards in front of her to study her strange change in behavior, only to feel two soft paws cup the sides of his muzzle to keep his eyes focused on hers. 

“We did it Nick.” Judy said, sniffling a little before offering a light giggle. “We actually did it.”

Judy could see Nick’s tail beginning to wag as she allowed her tears to flow freely. 

_Judith Laverne Hopps, you really are one emotional bun-_

Her thoughts were cut off as Nick pushed off the ground to stand awkwardly on his hind legs, leaning into Judy as they both fell on the lowered bed. He then proceeded to lick away her tears once again, earning another round of laughter from the squirming bunny on the bed. 

“Gah! Nick!” Judy laughed, trying in vain to hide from the overly caring fox standing above her, tail wagging even faster. No matter which way she leaned her head, she was meet with another lick against her cheeks.

Seeing no way of dodging his onslaught, she pulled him down into an embrace, turning them both on their sides giggling. 

“We made it!” Judy proclaimed triumphantly, laughing as she shot her arm in the air. “Wooooo”!

She brought it back down to hug her fox, relieved over their combined success against all odds thrown their way. She rested her head between the nook of head of the soft bed, smiling as she felt his muzzle move down to rub against the side of her cheeks, a slight rumble emitting from his chest. 

As they laid together side by side, their energy slowly dying back down as she ran her paw up and down the soft fur on his back, she sighed. It felt so good to have a moment of genuine peace wash over her.

Aside from a very few select moments starting from Nick embracing her under the bridge, she never allowed this form of sincere contentment to come over her since he first walked away. Every moment that should have brought a smile on her face was interrupted with the thoughts of her shortcomings, accidental or not.

To her, despite never wanting such a habit in the first place, it was a rightful punishment for her unintentional actions.

But right now, as she nuzzled into the soft, creamy fur under in his neck, she felt no need for personal put downs. No need to remind herself of what she had done all those months, or even few days, ago.

The savage predator outbreak was over, Bellwether was behind bars, and this sweet, overly affectionate fox had a true chance of being healed. 

Would this feeling of satisfaction last forever? Until all consequences were fixed, no, but she allowed it for this brief moment in time.

For now, as she snuggled next to her red fox, she felt happy and in good comfort… 

But very, very tired.

Sleep was calling to both of them, but she still had one more task to do. With much effort to get up from their comfortable position, Judy pushed herself up off the bed, with Nick following right behind, ignoring his need for sleep in favor of ensuring her safety.

He once again went to her right side, allowing her to lean on him as they walked to the dresser near her bed to place all the necessary items, including the phone on its lowest volume and brightness.

Then, for the third time in one night, she led Nick to his bed, where he once again repeated his routine before lying down in a fluffy, curled up ball. Judy stroked his head a few times, earning a blissful moan from the fox.

“Good night Nick.” Judy whispered, before carefully moving to her bed. She climbed under the soft, cool sheets, resting her head on the enormous pillow big enough for both her head and her oversized ears to lay on. 

She closed her eyes, and slowly breathed in the refreshing scented air.

She felt it flow through her body… 

Relaxing every taxed muscle… 

Slowly allowing sleep to overtake her exhausted body…

…

Until she felt a small shake of the bed. 

She turned her head to see Nick walking towards her, stopping only a foot apart before laying down. It was only a few seconds before his back began to rise and fall in a peaceful pattern as he breathed. 

Judy could only smile, wondering why she thought he would be content sleeping anywhere else but beside her? 

She turned her head back up to the ceiling as her eyes began to close once again. She whispered once more to Nick as sleep descended on her tiny, weary frame…

“Sweet dreams”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, I realized the viewership spiked when I added the Savage Nick Wilde tag. I wonder if people thought this was a dramatic recovery story before I added it.
> 
> Anyway, hopefully there was enough fluff injected in there for now. And with this chapter done, what did you all think? Was it good on both a pacing and emotional level? I know I always ask for constructive criticism, but this one I really want to know seeing as how it's my fastest chapter completion yet. 
> 
> That, and I do love hearing feedback all together. It keeps me motivated :)


	8. First Crazy Night Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy gets a second chance. Things go horribly wrong, delightfully right, and then awkwardly...well who knows?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. I've litterally been having exams every week, and needed a lot of time studying. Who would have thought having four accounting courses that were all transfered online due to a lousy virus would be so hard?
> 
> Well...everyone I guess, but still it's hard. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Slightly shorter, but I'm part way into the next chapter.

“Yeah, I’ll buzz you when it’s done. Or you you’ll see it on the news, you know, whichever comes first.” The ram said, loading the strange gun into a case before turning to the pounding on the door.

“Hey, Doug, open up! We’ve got your latte”!

“Alright, Woolter and Jesse are back so I'm leaving now. Out.” Doug said as he left. Judy slowly came out of her hiding place.

_“Where are you going? Where are you going?! Get back here!”_ Nick frantically whispered. _“Get back here! What are you doing, he’s gonna see you”! _

Judy could hardly hear his voice as her thoughts continued to race to comprehend what this ram in a hazmat suit had done. Otterton. Manchas. The other thirteen missing mammals. The citywide savage attacks. All him!

Well, at least to whatever amount of accountability he held under his boss, whoever it was. Either way, this had to end now before any other mammals were harmed. She turned to see the control panel, the red light still blinking.

_“What are you looking”?_

Her nose began to twitch as an idea began to form.

_“Hey! Whatever you’re thinking, stop thinking it”!_

Hijack the train and get the evidence to the ZPD. Simple.

_“Carrots”!_

They just had to get rid of the ram first.

**_“Carrots”!_ **

A good running start with a swift kick to his back should…should…

_No…_

The world slowly came to a halt as she felt a strong sense of revelation fall over her as time began to crawl.

_I don’t have to do that_

She felt her limbs loosen as her mind began to connect the dots; Where they were, what’s happened before, and most of all, what can be done now.

Judy knew there was something surreal about this whole scenario. She knew that they’ve done this before, and that this wasn’t a mere case of déjà vu.

But even that bit of curiosity couldn’t stop the smile that slowly grew on her face.

_“You’re right.”_ Judy said, whispering loud enough for Nick to hear.

_“You’re absolutely right!”_ Judy exclaimed as she turned to Nick. _“Let’s just grab the case and- “. _

Rather than seeing Nick under the table, she found herself looking out of the train car with three rams groaning on the ground. She froze at the familiar sight.

_How did… I-I didn’t even-_

“What are you doing?!” Nick exclaimed behind her, snapping her out of her stupor. She barely had enough time to close the door in front of the trio.

She wanted to form a plan. A plan that would change the outcome she knew was in bound. With the ram pounding on the door behind her however, improv was the only way to go right now.

“Nick, grab the case! We need to get the evidence back to the ZPD”!

“Okay yeah, no problem” Nick quickly said as he grabbed the evidence. “But couldn’t we have done this without you fly kicking the chemist”?!

“No, I know Nick” Judy said as she ran up to him. “I didn’t mean…I wasn’t…bah!” She threw her arms in the air in frustration. “It doesn’t matter now. We need to find a way out”!

They both looked all around the rusty old train car as the pounding grew louder and louder, each slam resonating like a gunshot slamming her chest and eardrums. It made searching for an exit all the more frustrating.

The more they looked around however, the more it was clear that an escape wasn’t in the cards. The back side had three ticked off rams behind the door, the window they snuck through would be impossible to sneak back out without alerting them, and the rooftop hatch was too high up to reach.

“So, got any ideas fluff”?

“OPEN UP”!

“I wasn’t asking you!” Nick yelled at the door before turning back to Judy, a look of worry painted on his face.

She had one idea…but she couldn’t do it. With what series of events would follow, she wouldn’t do it.

“There has to be some way out.”

“Should have thought of that earlier” Nick said in frustration. “Well we can’t just sit around here. Maybe there’s something up front-“Nick said before being cut off from the sudden motion of the train starting up, causing both of them to lightly stumble.

Judy’s eyes widened as her ears shot up. She turned to control panel to see the lights glowing with the switches flipped on the control panel.

_No… _

“Huh...I didn’t think this rust bucket had it in her.” Nick remarked.

“We have to stop this thing!” Judy exclaimed, as she ran to the panel.

Or tried to run at least.

No matter the amount of energy given, her body wouldn’t listen as it took slow, bulky strides to the terminal. It was as though she was running underwater, both light on her feet yet heavy against her momentum. She begged internally for her body to move as it was made to do as she ever slowly approached the panel.

With the sounds of the heavy vehicle rattling and squealing along the tracks ringing against her ears, Judy finally reached the terminal room. With her target in sight, she gathered all her might to take a final leap up to shut it down, hopefully stopping the events that would occur at the end of track.

Her efforts were in vain however as she felt her back blasted at full force by a pair of horns at full ramming speed. Her tiny body crashed through the metal door leading to the outside in front of the speeding train. She braced herself for the impact against the metal beams of the rails…

Only it didn’t come.

Judy instead found herself falling.

And falling.

And falling.

She looked around her and saw nothing but darkness. Any lights along the railway tracks were gone, as well as the train and railway themselves. It was nothing but an empty void absent of light and even sounds.

“Gah!” Judy exclaimed over the sudden sharp sting in her leg. She looked down to see her wound, already patched with a handkerchief and lightly soaked with blood. Before she could even comprehend where the phantom cut came from, she slammed into the ground.

Judy groaned in pain as she tried to get up off the floor, feeling the strange synthetic texture that felt all too familiar. Slowly the light began to return, the dirt brown colors coming into focus. As well as an, unfortunate, recognizable voice.

“Should have just stayed on the carrot farm, huh?”

Judy looked around, the pit in her stomach growing heavier as the rest of the surroundings came into view. Stuffed mammals in their primitive state. Replica boulders and foliage. A painted forest on the walls surrounding her.

“It really is too bad, I…I did like you”.

And a deranged former assistant turned mayor talking over her.

“But now the question is where do we go from here?” Bellwhether taunted, tapping her hoof under her chin in mocking contemplation. “I mean I can’t just let you leave. Either of you”.

Judy’s ears snapped up as she turned to see Nick sitting right beside her, his attention glued to the sheep. She could tell from his tense muscles that he was geared up and ready for the biggest hustle in his life. He didn’t have a single clue of the events to follow.

“So fox” Bellwhether said as she turned to Nick. “Maybe you can help me out?” She pulled the gun out and took aim.

“Wait!” Judy exclaimed as threw her arm up in the air, signaling her to stop. “Please don’t…”

Surprisingly, Bellwhether halted. She folded her arms, gun still at hand, curious to hear what this former bunny cop had to say.

“Please don’t do this. Not to him.” Judy pleaded.

_“What the heck are you doing carrots?!”_ Nick whispered under his breath, wondering why she was blowing their hustle.

“You can do what you want to me, but please leave him out of this. I’m the one who went after the leads. He…I dragged him along with me. I’m really the only one you should be taking this out on.” Judy felt her countenance fall as Bellwether looked to the heinous device. “That gun should be aiming at me for all I’ve…”

Her penitence was cut short as Bellwether sniffed the air; her sorrow turned to anxiety as the mayor brought the gun close to her flaring nostrils. Judy had no idea about how strong a sheep’s sense of smell is when it came to different predators. Including the predator whose paws snuck the blueberries in the chamber.

Bellwhether had a small chuckle she popped it open to see the fake ammo. Judy could barely breath as she dumped them on the floor.

“Gotta hand it to ya Judy, you actually had me going there for a second. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t going to let either of you off the hook, you being eye-witnesses and all, but I almost believed that you gave the tiniest bit of care for some underhanded fox.” Bellwether laughed as she snapped her hoof, causing one of her henchmammals to hand her a fresh refill of ammunition. “Could have made it big as an actress if you ask me.”

“**I wasn’t acting.**” Judy said, the pain clear in her voice over the accusation.

“Uh huh, sure you weren’t.” Bellwether countered, not even looking at her as she reloaded the gun. “What does your ‘partner’ think?”

“He knows that I care about him!” Judy shouted. “I wouldn’t have gone looking for him if I didn’t!”

“You sure about that fluff?” Judy turned to the fox, hoping with all her might that she didn’t just hear that from him. The daggers he gave in his eyes however dashed that hope.

“Sure you went looking for me, but was it REALLY just because you wanted to make amends? You could just be using me again to help you play bunny detective.”

Judy swallowed the sting from his insult to speak. “No Nick, I really did come to apologize. I stabbed you in the back the first time-.”

“Very thoroughly”

Judy shook her head, fighting to keep her emotions in check. “…but I didn’t mean to. It was a stupid choice of words from a dumb bunny that didn’t at all reflect what I was trying to say.”

“And what were you trying to say exactly? Hmm?” Nick asked as he slowly walked towards her, his height overshadowing the injured bunny lying on the ground. “You seemed so sure of yourself in front of all those reporters. Like you already had all the answers in regard to us ‘savage’ predators and our primitive biology.”

“I…I wasn’t thinking-“

“Isn't that an understatement!” Nick laughed. He bent his knees to her level, their eyes connected to each other. Judy couldn’t look away from seeing the anger and frustration gradually appearing on his dark continence.

“Face it Hopps, you never came looking for me to apologize. You just needed me to carry your weight so you could leave your country abode to be in the spotlight again. ZPD’s finest star.”

The dam slowly started to leak as Judy began to choke on the apology she tried to speak. Nick raised his paw to silence her. “You can’t think for yourself, so you had to drag me along, never once stopping to reconsider your actions, and now look at what you’ve done; A city sized population of prey and predators at each other’s throats. An entire lab of evidence blown up beyond recognition. Your own leg torn up- very smart move by the way. And as for the fox that you claim to ‘care’ so much about-yeah, he’s about to be shot with nighthowler.”

Judy jumped at the sudden yelp from Nick as he got shot on multiple exposed areas in rapid secession. She saw the purple splats absorbed into his fur as the growls in Nick’s throat built up once again; a vocal testament to her failed do-over.

She tried to think of something, anything, to change what had just happened, only for her own mind to reprimand her for thinking there was anything else she could do.

The lab was still destroyed, her leg was still damaged, and Nick was still turned savage.

She felt the weight of a new realization dawn on her. One of reality rather than lucky second chances.

_You failed _

Seeing no hope in changing the outcome, Judy slowly laid on her side, her cheek pressed against the fake dirt. She folded her arms as her good leg came up in a fetal position, her body subconsciously wanting to disappear from this place. Her ears were draped behind her head as she simply allowed the guilt that had been following her for so many months to begin its course once again.

“Wow, even given a second chance you blow it.” Bellwether giggled, reveling in the rabbit’s misery.

Judy felt a chill setting in as the world around her began to fade to darkness once again. Nick’s growling, the dirt floors, and the walls surrounding her all slowly dissipated, with only a deranged sheep’s laughter being the last sense to permeate in the air.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the onslaught of voices to begin. The world around her was eerily quiet, leaving just her to ponder and reflect.

_You should have never joined._

Judy simply nodded, not bothering to open her eyes or make a sound. It would only make this session last longer.

_Every good deed you do ends in others’ misery._

Her breathing got shaky with an occasional gasp. She wasn’t going to allow herself the relief of crying this time.

_Even your…your so called ffff…f-friends will never…forgive…_

…

Her thoughts tried to continue their barrage of self-loathing, only to lose track as she felt a strange warmth slowly drape over her tiny body. She didn’t know whether to feel confused or cautious as it started from her injured leg, gently covered her stomach, and only to stopped just above her chest.

As these phantom sensations tucked her in around her neck, making sure she wasn’t cold or uncomfortable in any way, she remained calm but confused. Why would… well anything, want to do this for her? Did it know who she was, or what she did? Of all the mammals in Zootopia, surely her name was the most infamous in contributions to the uproar throughout the city. Wouldn’t that warrant its reluctance in helping her?

If the arm that reached around her to pull her into its peaceful, warm embrace meant anything, it meant that it didn’t care.

She could feel the radiant fur brush against the back of her head and ears, relaxing her weary mind. The hard floor under her began to ease its hardened state, slowing softening into plush cushions.

As all of these sensations continued to work towards making her feel secured and cherished, Judy tried to move away from it all (despite how much her body wanted to stay), including the arm wrapped around her. She didn’t deserve this. She only deserved to be rejected and criticized for her actions.

The arm around her however pulled her back, once again telling her that whatever was loving her didn’t care. It didn’t judge her one bit for her mistakes. When she thought about trying to move again, she felt her entire back, as well as the rest of her body, gradually vibrate from the mammal. It made her mind lose the last of its will to act against her body.

Knowing now that it was a futile battle, Judy turned her head to snuggle her cheek against its chest, envying the soft coat on the mammal. She felt its muzzle rub the top of her head, petting her down her ears as its tail wrapped around her. A slow exhale of breath escaped her as she hugged the fluffy appendage.

When she finally caught the familiar scent of the mammal, she hummed in bliss as the last of her gut twisting anxiety faded away. Her shaky, troubled breathing diminished into slow, deep breaths in and out, enjoying the soothing aroma.

She didn’t know what it was that made this scent so…reassuring, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that everything just felt right. She was wrapped in warm, rumbling cocoon that was working to ensure that she felt snugged and treasured.

She offered a silent thanks to the mammal, grateful for such a happy moment. 

…

***Vrooom***

Her eyes clenched for a second at the sudden pulse, but she quickly ignored it in favor of more loving relaxation.

…

***Vrooom***

She groaned at the repeated vibration. What on earth was going on?

…

***Vrooom***

And why was coming from her…wrist?

…

***Vrooom***

Slowly the darkness that surrounded her gradually faded away to a room much more familiar to the bunny. The lightly colored walls dimly came into view while a weak, blinking red light brought her attention to her wrist.

***Vrooom***

_“Oh” _Judy whispered, now understanding the sensation. It was time to get up for the first dose. She instinctively pressed the blinking link to silence the band before getting up to grab the syringe and antidote from the nearby dresser.

Or at least she tried to before finding herself restrained by her midsection.

Judy looked down to see a russet colored forearm wrapped around her, only to trace it up its reddening arm to a firm chest pressed against her back. She turned her head upwards, only for her twitching nose to be meet by a creamy undercoat of a muzzle with a notable smile.

As her eyes widened, her cheeks blushed as she felt his warm breath on the top of her head followed by a low rumble in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you all enjoyed it. Did the dream sequence seem okay? Was there any parts that were confusing or badly worded? Was the fluff good at the end?
> 
> Let me know below, and thank you for reading. See ya later!


	9. First Crazy Night Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy has herself in a bit of a (pleasant) predicament. She turns out triumphant by the end of the night, only to find a new obstacle in the morning.
> 
> Oh the things she'll do for this fox.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long. I had finals to take care of, classes to sign up for in fall, and a Ghost of Tsushima that had to be played. 
> 
> Needless to say, I was busy.
> 
> But on the plus side, this is the longest chapter to date so...eh, plus and minuses right? Anyway, on to the chapter.

_Okay Judy, let’s uh…try to piece this together okay? No need to freak out._

Judy was frozen in place with her eyes wide open as she felt the steady, rhythmic breathing from her fox massaging her back, her mind short-circuiting as she tried to bring herself up to speed. A feat not made any easier by the deep inhales of his nose trying to gather as much of her scent as possible, a quiet low moan escaping every now and then in his sleep.

_Nick is currently…hugging me. Yeah, just a hug…while wearing only a pair of tight shorts…and he’s-_

Judy looked down.

_Yep, he’s under the sheets as well… b-but that’s not a big deal. He’s just being a good friend…a good male friend. Friends give each other hugs all the time right?_

…

_…while lying in the same bed sideways…with their body pressed against yours…with their arms wrapped around your stomach-_

**_It’s called spooning._ **

_JUST LET ME CALL IT WHAT I NEED TO CALL IT!_

Judy took a deep breath to calm herself, looking up again to see the cheerful expression on his muzzle. Despite the awkwardness of her current predicament, she could help but smile at his absolute delight over being able to have his bunny in his arms. She wanted him to feel as happy as possible for the next few days. To her, he’s earned it and then some.

Nevertheless, it would only take a few days so long as she gave him his shots. A feat currently made difficult, if not impossible, due to the firm yet gentle grip he had on her.

She tried to slowly move forward, letting his arms slide away naturally, only to find herself pulled back into arms, a slight whimper escaping his throat before quickly fading after he got her scent. She then tried to slide downwards, only to hear his loud sniffing before being pulled back up, this time turned around with her face against his chest. She was welcomed back by his nose pressed against the top of her head, taking her scent in once again before giving her a quick lick.

“_You’re not making this easy Nick_” Judy whispered against his chest. She looked upwards to see him still taking in her scent, feeling the fur on the top of her head being tickled with his breathing. It was clear that she was never going to get free from the affectionate fox unless she could throw him off her scent.

As she pondered over what to do next, she found herself fighting against her eyelids to stay open. Her initial fright of being embraced by her much larger friend was being replaced by the pacifying rhythm of his warm, fuzzy chest. Her thoughts sidetracked for a moment as she found herself rubbing the side of her cheek against his chest, a low hum escaping her before her eyes snapped back open, remembering her objective.

Looking towards the head frame, Judy managed to get a free arm loose from Nick’s embrace to grab one of the numerous pillows. She brought it up close to her face before pressing down on it with her chin. Properly marked, she brought the scented portion close to his nose, slowly dividing his attention between the strong scent and the source.

She once again slid downwards to the foot of the bed. When she heard the loud sniffing above her ears, she gave the marked pillow a light push into his nose, baiting him into releasing her to hug it.

Free from his affectionate grasp, Judy slid towards the edge of the bed, looking back to see him nuzzling into the pillow, taking in deep breaths while his tail noticeably bobbed up and down under the sheets. She smiled at the sight before sliding on the floor, landing on her good leg before carefully hobbling to the phone. With the headphones on, she gave the number provided a call, waiting only for a second before a bilby appeared on the screen.

“Hello Miss Hopps, good to see you up and about” Doctor Aussie said with a hint of concern in his voice. “And good to see the bracelet worked as intended. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, not too bad.” Judy said as she propped the phone up to work on getting the bracelet off while looking at the bed “Had to fight my way out of an…odd predicament, but so far so good.”

“That’s good to hear.” The doctor said, a notable face of relief appearing on his countenance. “Smart idea using your scent to throw him off.”

“Well thank you.” She said with a small smile as she rubbed the portion of her fur matted from the bracelet. “I figured with how much he was…” Her ears dropped with an expression of surprise on her face, her nose twitching as she gave her full attention back to the phone “You saw that?”

“Mm-hm, right on the monitors” Doctor Aussie said, turning the phone to the numerous screens in front of him. “We have cameras in each room and in the hallway monitoring both of you 24/7.” He turned the phone back to him. “Gotta make sure you’re both safe right?”

“Uh…right.” Judy said with a visible blush on her face, gripping and twisting the hem of her silk shirt in embarrassment. Doctor Aussie read her expression, quickly realizing what it sounded like he was doing.

“Oh there’s no need to worry about anything unpleasant on our end Miss Hopps! We all know full well to give you two all the privacy you need. We only check them either on occasion or if there’s a sudden volume spike”.

“So... you weren’t peeking when I changed?”

The doctor chuckled. “Absolutely not. I was watching when you were both going to one of the rooms and leading Mister Wilde to his bed, but once I saw you laying the PJs by your side of the bed, that’s when I shut the monitors off. I only turned them back on when the volume spiked a couple times, but when I saw what it was, I knew you were going to be alright.”

“And you didn’t see anything at all?”

“Not one bit.” Doctor Aussie said with a growing smile. “Besides, it’s not like it’s a temptation. You’re certainly a beautiful bunny, but my little angel of Outback Island…well, she runs circles around you in every way. No offense.”

“None taken.” Judy said with a bright smile, both for the compliment and for his admiration he had for his wife. It was reminiscent of all the times her dad would proudly proclaim that he picked the best carrot out of the field. It was always so sweet to see how much someone loved their spouse.

“So yeah, don’t worry about any of us intruding on you two. You’ll have all the privacy to chat and cuddle to your heart’s desire”.

Her ears and cheeks blushed once again. She rubbed the back of her neck while giving an embarrassed chuckle. “You caught that part huh?”

He nodded with a big grin on his face. “I had to turn the monitors back on to when it was getting close to time to wake you up. From the looks of it, it looks like you needed it based on what I was seeing.”

“What did you see?”

“Well let me show you” Doctor Aussie cheerfully said as he started turning the camera towards the monitor. “I should be able to rewind the last few…” He paused before turning the camera back on him. “Actually, let’s take care of the shot first before we watch. Gotta take advantage now while we can.”

Judy nodded, now remembering why she was woken up in the first place. “I agree.”

Holding the camera towards the materials, she switched on the light to the lowest setting possible to view the syringe and antidote. As she took the protective lid off the syringe, she gulped in deep anxiety when she finally saw the needle. Not for its length or width (it was both reasonably long and incredibly thin), but just the knowledge of what she was about to do.

Despite her minimal training in her teens, giving shots was never an experience she wanted to use in real life. Even more so giving a shot to a friend currently sleeping and going through a rough, nighthowler induced phase.

The possibilities flash in her mind of all the ways this could go wrong; Maybe he’ll wake up when she sticks the needle into his arm. Maybe he’ll move when she presses the plunger down to inject the antidote. Or heck, what if she misses his vein all together?

As she measured out the prescribed dose however, she knew these fears had to take a back seat for the time being. Being afraid wasn’t going to cure Nick, nor would waiting any longer to take action.

Her mind however made sure this time to remind her not to jump head in without taking a second to plan out her strategy the best she could.

With the filled syringe in hand, she took an alcohol wipe, and both a piece of cotton and some medical gauze to seal the shot. Last thing ether of them needed was to have his blood spraying everywhere when removing the needle. She then made sure to wait a few minutes for her eyes to adjust a little to the dark to better see Nick to plan out her method of getting close to him. It helped to ensure he wouldn’t wake up from a bright light shining on his sensitive eyes.

Taking a couple minutes to scout around the sleeping fox, Judy saw the only possible opening; his right arm currently hugging the underside of the marked pillow. Not only was it more laid out, but it was facing slightly upwards.

The only downside however was the fact that the only way to reach it was to climb on the bed, eliminating the hope for an easy bedside injection.

Gathering the supplies, phone, and courage, Judy slowly crawled across the bed to his side, watching his face for any signs of him waking up. Fortunately, it seemed like the marked portion kept him knocked out despite the light movements as she scooted right next to him. When she saw his face up close, as well listened to the little blissful sighs he emitted once in a while, he simply looked intoxicated and happy.

Keeping the screen facing downwards to cover the light, Judy carefully moved his arm to lay it all the way down with his palm facing upwards before feeling for the very tiny shaved area from the previous failed injections. She then applied the wipe to the area, tensing for a second when she heard a slight hiss from his muzzle from the cold wipe before he fell back into his daze.

With the area clean and ready, Judy took a deep but silent breath as she turned the pillow upwards to fully shield his eyes from the light she was going to need, making sure the marked area was still held in front of his nose. She then took the phone and leaned it against the pillow at the right angle for Doctor Aussie to see the shaved area.

“_Alright Miss Hopps_” Doctor Aussie whispered into the earphones, not taking any chances of Nick hearing a stranger’s voice. “_Do you see the largest blue vein in the center?_” Judy pointed to the spot, hovering her dull claw over the area. “_That’s it; aim the needle at a forty-five degree angle._”

As she angled the needle, she was startled as his arm began to lightly spasm before looking to see his hand opening and closing, as if it was looking for something to grab onto. She quickly crossed her left arm under her right arm currently holding the needle to place her paw on his, pushing down slightly to keep his arm in the right place. As he gently held her paw, she looked to the screen to make sure she did the right thing, earning a smile and thumbs up from the bilby before getting the needle back into the right angle.

“_Now just…give the shot._” The doctor said, thankful for the patient being a fox rather than a thicker-skinned mammal. If she’s experienced giving a shot before to rabbits, then she should already be familiar with the speed and pressure to apply the shot for a fox.

This was it; the plunge. Judy took one more deep breath to steady her breathing and relax her muscles.

With the target in sight, she pushed down.

When the needle broke through and stopped at just the right moment, her whole frame tensed, waiting for a rebuttal from Nick…

…

Nothing. Not even a single bit of noise.

_Did I miss?_

Judy looked closer to see if the needle was truly plunged in the right area she was aiming for.

It didn’t seem off at all.

She looked to the phone to see the doctor giving her another thumbs up, only then to gesture for her to inject. She pressed down on the syringe until all the liquid was completely emptied.

Still nothing from Nick.

“_Well done!_” Doctor Aussie quietly exclaimed. Judy released the breath she didn’t even realize she was holding in, coming out as a silent laugh of relief over successfully administering the first dose to heal her savage fox of a friend. She couldn’t help but feel a small bit of pride welling up inside for this first night’s triumph.

“_Now you just have to seal the area._”

Judy nodded with a smile, ready to…

Her smile dropped when she realized a bit of a problem; with her left paw in his paw and the right holding the needle still in his arm, she couldn’t safely remove it. If she moved her left paw away, he’d start spasming again with the needle in his arm. Move the right paw and the needle could slip out.

Needing both paws to finish this up, Judy knew only one solution worth trying. She carefully angled herself, minding the needle still in his arm, until the side of her face was right next to her left paw. Slowly, she opened his paw and slid the side of her face into the spot she had her paw until it was completely free. She waited a second to see if Nick would notice.

He did, but if the light caresses of his thumb pad against her cheek were anything to go by, he liked it.

“_Unorthodox, but effective._ “Doctor Aussie whispered, watching as Judy quickly removed the needle and wrapped the spot with the gauze and cotton from her awkward angle. Once she made sure it wouldn’t come undone, she looked towards the screen for approval. “You’re all done.”

Judy smiled as she moved her face away before putting Nick’s hand back on the pillow so he would have something to grab onto. She slid to the side of the bed and deposited the materials in the sealed bins before laying back on the bed sideways from Nick.

“Excellent job Miss Hopps. Do this again just two more times, and I think we should be hearing more than just growls and whimpers from Mr. Wilde in no time.”

“Good, cause that was…_phew_.” Judy said with a smile, once again feeling proud yet mentally exhausted for what she’d just done.

“Oh come on, what’s all this ‘_phew_’ about?” Doctor Aussie asked with a chuckle. “Aren’t you the same bunny who outran a savage jaguar in the Rainforest District?”

“Doesn’t make it any less stressful!” Judy exclaimed, finding humor in his observation. “Besides, it’s different when it involves your best friend’s recovery.”

“Makes sense.” The doctor responded with a nod. “You know we’re all still trying to wrap our minds around that you two are such good friends being a fox and a bunny. But given the what you did for each other before and what he did for you earlier, there’s no denying it at all.”

“Oh yeah, you mentioned that earlier. “Judy said before a yawn snuck out, the mental exhaustion slowly weighing down physically. “What did he do exactly?”

Doctor Aussie chuckled. “Well I can show you, but quite frankly you look about ready to pass out on me. Why don’t I show you tomorrow night?”

Judy was about to say otherwise, but as another yawn escaped while her eyes were having trouble staying open, she knew it would probably be for the best. No point in watching something that you’d struggle to pay attention to.

“Ooooh okay.” Judy said, feigning being upset. “I guess we’ll watch tomorrow. I’ll try setting things up to make the next shot go quicker so we’ll have more time to see it.”

“Good idea. And I will say this; if he acts the same way I saw him act for the next two days, then I think you’ll be in for a pleasant stay. Maybe not as much as him, but who am I to say?”

“When it comes to what he’s thinking or feeling…” She looked at Nick to see a smile on his muzzle as he took another inhale of the pillow before looking back to the phone. “I think we’re both going to be asking a lot of questions.”

“Very true. Well with that, Madge should be replacing me in about an hour, so she’ll be answering if you need anything at all. Also, there might be a little noise on the other side of the door at the end of the hallway; don’t worry about it, just some minor construction. Have a good night Miss Hopps. And uh…enjoy your comforter.”

Judy smiled with an eyebrow raised. “Goodnight doctor.” As the screen went black, she shook her head as she placed the phone on the nearby nightstand and crawled back under the sheets beside Nick and the pillow he was still hugging.

With everything all done and accounted for, she once again allowed sleep to overtake her again…

…

Well tried to anyway, until she looked more at her loving fox snuggling up to the pillow…

That lucky, overprivileged pillow currently wrapped and cuddled in his soft arms.

_… _

_Is it safe to leave him like that? _

_… _

_I mean, what if the scent wears off? _

_… _

_How long does a scent mark last anyway? _

Judy kept asking herself these questions as he saw the pillow being pulled closer into his chest. The pillow that was only being loved on that much because it had a scent mark; **her** scent mark. He wanted her in his arms, not some inanimate object who couldn’t even hold a syringe or hug his sinfully luscious tail.

_It might not be good if it wears off while he’s still asleep right? **Right**. _

As these thoughts kept coming into her head, she slowly found herself sliding closer to the sleeping fox as her rational side began to catch up with her in an effort to slow her hasty actions.

_Hang on a second Jude; are you really sure this is a good idea? I mean sure he’s warm and his fur is among the softest…well anything you’ve ever felt to be honest. And perhaps his firm chest breathing against your back feels likes a rolling massage while his arms hold you with his gorgeous tail wrapped around you like…a…_

Before she knew it, Judy found herself back in his embrace with the pillow thrown to the side. Her smile only grew bigger when she felt him nesting his muzzle on the top of her head as his tail subconsciously wrapped around her. She could only hug the appendage as she nuzzled in closer to his chest, a gesture he appreciated with a gentle stroke with his muzzle down her ears.

Yeah they were still just friends, but it wasn’t like they were going to do anything inappropriate. Just snuggling up close for comfort and sleep.

And even though she wanted to really think about if she was okay doing this, all the loving sensations surrounding her veered every attempt until sleep found its way once again.

\-----------------------------------------

Aside from the overpowered sleeping dart, Judy couldn’t remember the last time she slept so deeply. Even more so, she couldn’t remember the last time it wasn’t ladened with some worry that kept her from feeling so satisfied. Even as her eyes were still closed with her mind aware that it was morning, she felt every fiber of her being rejuvenated with her original drive to make the world a better place.

Or for the time being, help her friend.

She smiled as she slowly turned her head upwards while still laying on her side, opening her eyes hoping to see a familiar undercoat of a smiling muzzle, only to be met with the open air. As she turned her head back down, her tiny nose bopped into Nick’s, meeting his open emerald eyes looking at her, enthusiastically waiting for her to wake up.

Judy chuckled. “Good morning Nick.” His tail began to thump up and down on the bed as she lightly scratched the side of his cheeks, his eyes flickering over her touch. She looked down to his arm see the gaze still wrapped around with obvious signs of it being tampered with.

Judy smirked as she brought his arm towards her. “I see someone was a little eager.” She tsked as she began to unroll the abused gaze. “Now I know I woke up a little later than usual Slick, but you gotta let me take care of this from here on. I don’t need you choking on it if you rip it off.” As the gaze was unraveled the rest of the way and tossed to the side, she gently rubbed the injected area. “I don’t want anything else happening to you while I’m around.”

As she started to pet his arm, Nick slowly pushed his nose under her stroking paw, sliding his muzzle upwards towards her. Judy giggled, getting the message as she started to pet his long muzzle towards the back of his head. She loved how mellowed out he looked to simply have her paws running down his fur.

In fact, she loved how happy he looked all together.

Unlike the snarling, savage fox she encountered yesterday, this fox was an entirely different mammal. From the way he was lying down next to the one mammal he trusted with a big grin on his face, one would find it very hard to believe this was the same mammal who threatened any and all mammals to stay away from him. His countenance just shined so much brighter than yesterday.

And as Judy continued to feel the occasional puff of warm air from his relaxed breathing, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of curious honor brewing within herself. Of all the mammals present over the last two…three days now, why was he only mollified with her presence? Even just her own scent?

Why was she the only one who he would show the utmost admiration towards to the point of it being, for lack of better words, affection? Especially considering the fact they’ve only known each other (other than their first confrontation) for three days over a three-month period.

Like so many questions however, Judy knew that time would tell eventually. And until that time came, she would make the most of it; starting with the fox that was trying to be oh so sneaky in slowly approach her side, allowing her paw to drape down his back.

She just smiled as she sat up to wrap her arms around him, allowing his muzzle to rest on her shoulder. As he nuzzled next to her, she could only close her eyes as she ran her paws up and down his soft fur before breathing in the early morn-

Her eyes bulged as her ears dropped, and her nostrils flared and stung.

“Whoa!” Judy exclaimed as she fell back away from Nick. “Son of a beet, what is that smell?!”

Nick looked down at her in confusion, looking down at himself and behind for a brief second before looking back to the bunny currently fighting back the need to gag. If it were physically possible for bunnies to vomit, she would find herself fighting that back as well over the overpowering musk scent coming from his fur.

Judy held her arms forward when Nick tried to walk towards her to see what was bothering her, keeping him at bay.

“Hang on a second Nick.” Judy said in between gasping breathes of cleaner air. “I need to check something real quick.”

Judy quickly crawled across the bed to the phone, having to fight the urge to comfort him over the whine he admitted over being pushed away. She would of course tend to him as soon as possible once she inquired of his stench. But how could one comfort someone else if they couldn’t breathe?

“Miss Hopps, is something wrong?” A familiar honey badger asked in the earphones. “I thought I heard shouting.”

“You did. It was me.” Judy said, now more composed with the scent mostly out of her nose. “It’s Nick; I think there’s something seriously wrong with his fur. He…he just reeks! I know foxes have a natural musky scent, but this is something else entirely.” She waited a second as the line went quiet for a moment before scrunching her eyebrows in confusion over the suppressed laughed on the other side of the line.

“I’m sorry Miss Hopps, it’s just…there’s nothing wrong with his scent per say.” Doctor Badger said, clearing her throat. “You see, you’ve just been the unfortunate victim of a fox who, for almost three days now, hasn’t been given a bath due to his earlier behavior. Those wipe treatments only mask his scent for so long before it comes back; with a vengeance apparently. Add to that the fact that his higher body temperature has undoubtedly caused sweat to build up in his undercoat and you’ve got what you’ve just experienced.”

Judy felt a shiver of disgust run down her body. Not just from the fact that his odor was the end result of so many days of sweat hotboxed in his undercoat mixed with his musk, but the fact that she was wrapped in it all night long. Not just wrapped, but completely enveloped.

She decided against smelling her own fur to see how much of the foul odor seeped in. Her poor nose had suffered enough for the time being.

“If you want, we can drop some more wipes off for you. Should mask his odor for about nine hours at a time.”

Judy stopped herself from saying yes right at the moment (despite her offended nostrils calling for justice) to look at her smelly fox, now sitting slightly away from her with a worried look.

As a bunny whose had plenty of experience getting dirty after a long day’s work on the farm, she knew all about the relief of a shower. The feeling of clean fur free from all the dirt, sweat, and various smells of the day. It made her feel like a new bunny every time.

For Judy, the idea of synthetically cleaning oneself was beyond unappealing. It was like cleaning a car with only a hose; it may look clean for a while, but it never stays that way unless it’s done right. And unlike a car, one could feel how dirty they really were from merely shifting the filth around.

She couldn’t put herself in Nick’s place in regard to how he was feeling with his savage state, but if it were anything even close to how she’d feel, it’d be pretty gross. He would be begging for something other than another wipe down.

Something that had her scrunching her eyes shut while shaking her head, knowing what had to be done. No matter how mortifying.

“No, that won’t be necessary. But can you uh…send some bathing supplies?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I'm having a fun time just thinking of the next part. 
> 
> Also not going to lie that describing the whole shot scene really makes me wish I could draw this as a comic. But I guess we do with what we can do.
> 
> So what did you all think? Was there any moments that sounded confusing or needing more explanation? Be sure to leave your comments below. They keep me motivated :)


	10. Bathing a Smelly Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the bathtub all ready to go, Judy fights herself to bathe Nick. She deals with every sweet and mortifying moment in strides up until the very end.
> 
> As usual, Nick just loves being with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never thought I'd get a chapter out this fast. I'll admit though, I tried a couple of new writing techniques here that I'm very nervous about and hope they'll read out okay.
> 
> So yeah, here's the next chapter, and please be sure to read the end notes for some advise I'm looking for.

“Alright, that should be everything;” Judy said, newly dressed in a tee shirt and shorts, taking a final look at the supplies dropped off for her next endeavor while the bathroom tub filled with warm water and foaming suds. “Extra strength fur shampoo, deep tissue canine conditioner, one long scrub brush, one change of shorts for a medium size fox…” She then looked to Nick, sitting in place with a smile on his face, his eyes only on her. “And one medium sized fox.”

Judy just took a second to look at him, resting her leg on the scooter finally being put to good use. She had the scenario planned out (for the most part) on getting this affectionate yet stinky fox cleaned up and smelling good. The only problem however was actually getting things moving.

Walking across an entire naturalist club was already on the top of her list of her most mortifying moments she’s ever endured. Having to bathe her best friend however, who of course had to also be a male, would surely blow it out of the water.

She began to swing her arms up and down to her side, breathing in and out as she attempted to get mentally prepped to remove the only article of clothing on Nick. Something easier planned than done, especially with the smile still glued on his muzzle.

“Okay Judy, just get those shorts off, lead him to the tub, and clean him up. Easy peasy.” She told herself before slowly getting on her knees in front of him, only a minor distance away from the smell zone.

“Nick” Judy said as she stretched her arms out to cup his muzzle, gently lifting upwards. “I need you to stand up for me.” Getting the hint from her paws pulling upwards, Nick stood up on all fours before walking to her side as instructed by the pull of her paws.

With Nick by her side, Judy looked down his bare shoulders, past his back, and stopped at the tail. Or more specifically, the tail-hole in the shorts. With her cheeks already blushing, Judy slowly managed to at least get his tail out of the hole in the shorts. A small step in comparison to the big moment.

With no hinderance left, she angled herself properly and, with shaky paws, griped the rims of his shorts.

“Hey Nick” Judy said, gaining his attention immediately as he turned to see her. He was still smiling, not at all realizing, or maybe just not caring, what she was about to do. ‘I’m just uh…going to take these off so I can wash you. If there’s any part of you in any way that can understand what I just said, give me some sort of sign that you would feel uncomfortable if I do this. A whine, a paw raise, or even just wagging your tail will let me know.”

A small part of her secretly hoped that he would do one of those common actions as a sign, knowing that it was still too early for him to comprehend speech. The larger part of her wanting to clean him won however when all he did was smile even wider.

“Okay…I gotcha Nick…bath time it is.” Judy responded before taking a deep breath (away from his direction). “On 3…”

“1…2…3.”

…

“3”

…

“3”

…

“1-2-3!” Judy exclaimed, her arms still refusing to budge. Nick just looked at her in puzzlement over her outburst. She released her hold on his shorts before looking at him. “I need a minute.”

\-----------------------------------------

“Quit making it that big of a deal Jude, it’s just giving a friend a bath.” Judy said as she wheeled herself back and forth across the spacious bathroom. Nick patiently sat in place, constantly turning his head back and forth to watch her. “Just pull them down, keep your eyes off…just mind where you're looking, and lead him to the tub. Simple.”

Judy turned back to wheel herself back to Nick before stopping when he quickly stood up and began wagging his tail with an eager smile on his face.

…

“I should refill the tub water’s probably cold by now and the suds are probably thinning out be right back slick.” Judy quickly said before wheeling herself hastily to the tub, leaving a confused fox to sit back down.

\-----------------------------------------

Judy turned the water off once again. “Okay; tub’s all ready, the bubbles are piled up high…” She turned to Nick, who decided to take a seat next to her. “Let’s try this again.”

Once more she directed him to stand and position himself next to her, and once again she sat on the ground to grip the rim of his shorts. With difficulty swallowing the lump in her throat, Judy this time decided to finally go for it.

Slowly she began to pull his shorts down, averting her eyes from seeing any of his…assets or regions that would be exposed. More and more, despite her strong will in diverting her eyes, Judy couldn’t help but feel a deep blush over the insanity of this moment. She was almost down past his glutes until he raised his paw to briefly scratch the side of his muzzle.

“Is that no go?” Judy quickly exclaimed to the confused fox, her ears perking up as she released her grip to scratch under his muzzle while petting his head. “If so we don’t have to. We can do the wipe treatment. It’s all up to you!” Nick tilted his head over her strange behavior.

As she took a few more seconds to look at his dumbfounded expression, her excitement simmered into self-awareness as her ears slowly went limp when she realized how stupid she sounded. How she took a common gesture and interpreted it for her own benefit. With annoyance in herself, she looked away from Nick to have a moment to close her eyes and lean her head against the side of the tub with a groan.

_Okay, you have to admit that was a real dumb bun moment. Come on Jude, you’ve taken down everything from rhinos in the boxing rink to tyrannical sheep. _ _Seeing a little fur isn’t going to kill you anytime soon, so stop looking for excuses._

Judy opened her eyes, slightly startled to see Nick looking directly at her, concerned over her change in emotion. He looked so worried see his bunny look so disappointed in something he couldn’t understand. He brought his muzzle close to her cheek to rub against it, trying his best to comfort her.

_Plus…just look at him; he’s the one who needs you to help him, yet he’s been trying so hard to make you happy. How many mammals do you know who would be as selfless? To want so desperately for you to smile and be comfortable? _

_Do the same for him. _

With a new way of seeing this situation through gratitude rather than responsibility, Judy pushed his head back to show a smile on her face. Naturally, Nick’s tail swayed back and forth over seeing her like this again. Without any form of self-coercion on her part, she averted her eyes to reach behind him to grab his shorts on the side one more time…only to feel nothing but fur.

…

She felt the side of his waist. Fur. She felt the side of his thighs. Fur. Knees. Fur. Even the area around his feet was absent of any clothing.

With a shiver up her spin and her blush back with renewed vigor, Judy looked behind her to see the discarded shorts before looking back to Nick’s smiling face.

“Oh.” Judy meekly said, surprised yet grateful for his mobility and the force of gravity to finish the final steps. Nevertheless, her stomach was filled to the brim with butterflies as her cheeks and ears flushed bright red from the current reality.

She was now in the same room as her now naked friend. Her naked **male** friend.

“Well then…” Judy said, trying to sound indifferent over the awkwardness of the moment, looking into his eyes (and only his eyes) for a few seconds before standing back up to turn to the tub. “Time to get ya cleaned up.”

Leaning against the tub for balance, Judy reached under his chest to push upwards, signaling him to stand on his hind legs to look into the tub. All the while she ensured to not allow her eyes or peripheral vision to travel any lower than the base of his tail.

“Alright Nick” Judy said as she pushed his back forward. “Hop in.” He leaned forward a little, only to stop short of letting the top half of his body go in. She gave a stronger push forward, only for him to push equally back with a huff of annoyance emitted from his nose.

“Really?” Judy looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “You’re going to be like this? Now that you’re naked you decide you're not up for a bath?” Nick simply looked at the tub with a pouty expression on his face.

At this point, and with no reason to turn back now that he was in the fur, Judy remembered two lessons growing up when observing her mother taking care of the younger litters. One; when it’s time for a bath, only an emergency will excuse the need to take it. Other than that, you have no choice. Two; if you can’t get em’ to take it of their own free will, then you have to think outside the box.

So, while she had no carrot cake privileges to ban (not that he’d comprehend a warning), she quickly thought up another way to get him where she needs him to go.

“Okay Nick; you win” Judy said as she scratched under his chin, slowly bringing his attention back to her. “We’ll just forget about it and go lay back down.”

Nick closed his eyes as her dull claws gently ruffled the fur on his muzzle, no doubt savoring another sweet moment of reprieve from his worries. She felt the weight of his head following her paw as she began to move it, slowly bringing him to lean in. The pleasure on his face building more and more until the feeling of bubbles and warm water on the underside of his muzzle made him quickly bring his head back up.

He looked into the water where the suds were less condensed to see Judy’s paw submerged, still gesturing the same motions it was doing under his chin. He turned to Judy, who now had a small smirk on her face as she leaned against the frame to further stretch her paw away while trying not to laugh at the confused fox. Even more so when he tried to walk around her to get to her other paw, only to find it tucked away from his reach.

He walked back to look her in the eyes with an expression that both begged and fussed over what she was doing.

“Oh don’t give me that look” Judy said with a chuckle. “I’m not trying to mess with you. I’m just…” Nick’s head snapped back to the water when he heard her paw coming back up, moving slightly forward out of his reach further into the tub as he hopped on his hind legs to lean in. “Giving you an incentive.”

Judy watched as he rocked back and forth, watching a battle no doubt raging in his mind over rather to take the risk stepping in the water, or forego the gentle touch he was already suffering withdraw from. Judging from the deeper breathes he took, it ate at him as he kept looking between the water and her paw.

Sure enough, he made up his mind as he placed his first paw into the water, dipping it a couple times before allowing it to sink all the way to the bottom. With one paw still on the tub wall, he tried to stretch his front frame further to reach, just barely able to get the very front of his muzzle scratched for his efforts.

“Come on Nick. You’re almost there.” Judy said, watching as his impatience grew. He wanted more from her. So much so that he allowed his other front paw to drop into the water to give him that final push forward to meet her paw all the way, his efforts rewarded with some light scratches down his muzzle and throat.

Judy allowed him to enjoy it for a minute or so before she started to move her paw away from him to the side. He tried to extend further to keep up with her paw, but could only go so far with his bottom half still outside of the tub.

Not wanting to loose this sensation too soon, Nick threw all caution aside to quickly scramble his hind paws into the tub, allowing him to finally walk in the warm, bubbly water on all fours to follow her paw.

Still keeping her wandering eyes off parts not-needed-to-be-known, Judy led him with her paw to turn around so he’d be sideways from her before using her other paw to gently pushed down on Nick’s lower back, signaling him to finally sit down.

With the water at just the right height to allow the suds to cover his mid-region, Judy used her free paw to turn the water back on to raise the level up all the way past his stomach. All the while she made sure to reward him on his incented bravery in the only matter she knew best.

“See, that wasn’t so bad was it?” Judy asked with optimism, enjoying the large smile on his face as she petted down the back of his neck while scratching the side of his cheek. He simply kept his eyes closed as he leaned his head into her touch, savoring another moment to enjoy with her.

The sheer bliss on his countenance stayed as she turned the water off before turning on the nearby shower hose to begin rinsing him. He tensed for a second when the water hit him, only to fall back into his trace when he felt a tiny paw ruffle his fur all around his upper body, making sure both his inner and outer coat were fully wet.

Judy loved how calm he was as she finished with his face, making sure to protect his eyes and nose from the running water, chuckling when he gave her hand a quick lick when it passed in front of his muzzle.

As she finished rising him off however, there was one other detail she found herself loving.

_Wow. _

With the water pressing his fur down against his body, she noticed how under his outer coat that his physique was…rather pleasant. Not oversized or bulky, but good lean muscle around his back and chest. Granted his stomach was admittedly a little skinny in comparison to the rest of his body, but it was probably due to not having any breakfast. Something that she realized neither of them had had yet.

Something, she then further realized, would not be happening any time soon if she kept staring at his body any longer than she caught herself doing.

With a strong blush in her face and ears, she quickly hung the shower hose up and clear her throat before piling on a giant heap of the shampoo in her paw. Not wanting to linger on how she just checked out her best friend in the bath, she wasted no time to begin scrubbing him down.

Nick had a look of confusion when he felt the strange, slimy substance being rubbed into his fur, only to dissipate when he turned his head to see his determined bunny rubbing it in his back. Had Judy not been so busy trying to hurry up with the awkward task (so as to move away from her mortifying moment), she would have noticed his concern as he leaned in to give her a lick on her cheek. A gesture that caught her off guard as she looked at him.

All he offered her was a simple smile that asked for her to cheer up. A smile that simply wanted her to not worry so much about whatever she was concerned with at the moment. Just seeing that little expression slowly forced the corners of her mouth to curve upwards, before she finally relented with a slight chuckle.

“Sorry about that Nick” Judy said, remembering how high his own priority was to see her pleased. “Just a little drama going on in this crazy bunny brain of mine. That’s all.” As Nick turned back around to allow her to continue, she lightly chuckled once again before resuming. It took a savage fox to let her know that she was being too concerned about something that really didn’t need to be examined.

With another set of insignificant worries tended to, Judy resumed her task with a more upbeat attitude, taking her time tending to this sweet/smelly fox. Rather than a quick scrub, she took her time to really ensure the shampoo got in deep into his fur. For him, it was practically a massage to thank him for his loving support.

She began to hum as she massaged and scrubbed around his shoulders (admittingly loving the opportunity to feel his toned features), enjoying the tranquil moment they had alone together with just the simple sounds of humming and light movements in the water. She smiled once Nick emitted a prolonged moan over her bathing treatment, his upper body losing some of its ability to stand upright in its trance.

Judy then moved on to his arms, then his chest and stomach (grateful for the still thick suds over his lower portion), while having to dodge an affectionate lick once in a while when he swayed forward. Well, dodge as best as being able to turn her cheek so he’d have a place to land.

As she finished with his head and face (making sure his eyes and nose were covered), she finally got to scrub the fur under his throat. He stretched his throat upwards as she continued, only to surprise her with a calm, rumbling sound that ever so softly vibrated in her paw.

“Nick…are you purring?” Judy asked, as he continued to emit his sign of utter bliss over her petting that one perfect spot. She had no idea foxes could even purr. In fact, she hadn’t even considered it possible for other species outside the Felidae family to do that.

Didn’t make the fact of the matter any less adorable in her eyes. If anything, she felt her heart glow seeing and hearing him in such a euphonious state, and found it so curious that she was able to bring him there. She made a mental note to ask about this later given the fact that purring can have numerous meanings among different species.

With the last of his upper portion fully shampooed, she rinsed him off before going over once more with the conditioner. She got to enjoy his muscles and hear his purring once more before finishing, deciding to let the conditioner sit longer while tending to the next part.

The part that had her heart thumping so loudly in her chest that she could hear it in her head.

The point of no return.

“Well slick, it’s time to uh…scrub the rest of you.” Judy said as she grabbed the brush, putting on an enormous amount of shampoo on it while Nick just smiled watching her.

With the shampoo applied, she pulled the lever on the side to drain the tub. As the water slowly went down the drain, she watched as his unwashed portions slowly came into view, her cheeks and ears almost as red as his fur. Only when the water drained past his waist did she look away, a feeling of dizziness and heat overtaking her mind.

Minding her peripherals, Judy went to work with the brush. She went over his stomach and waist, followed by his legs and feet. Then, with her own paws, gave his tail a good wash, guiltily enjoying feeling it while cleaning it out. The base of the tail however was left to the brush see as it was connected to…a certain asset that didn’t need to be felt with bare paws.

With only a few portions left to tend to while he stands up, there was one area still left to wash. Gently, and with great consideration.

“Hey Nick” Judy said, already having his attention the whole time. “I’m just going to…to wash you…” Without looking she pointed between his legs. “Down there.” Nick took a quick look to the spot she was pointing to before looking back to her, his expression not changing one bit. “I promise to make it quick.”

With a loud gulp and a few deep breathes, Judy brought the brush down, with notable shaking, to the Nick’s lowest nether region to gently scrub. She suddenly stopped when his ears bolted upwards with a face of shock.

Time slowed as Nick, with eyes wide open and a straight face plastered in disbelief, looked into her violet eyes. Judy could only wish that whatever happened next wouldn’t cause either of them harm.

Her hope was sadly, and mortifyingly granted, when his expression slowly twisted.

His ears folded back on his head, almost looking slicked back.

“…”

His eyes narrowed with a look of devilish charisma.

“Nick”

His muzzle slowly curved into an all too familiar smirk.

“Don’t.”

And worst of all…

“DON’T YOU DARE.”

He purred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it. I thought that last part was just the right line to end it on. The next chapter will have a little bit more of Judy tending to Nick before things shake up a little.
> 
> So two things I'm asking opinion on: 
> 
> One, is there any notable mistakes or common phrasing I'm using a lot in this story? I've caught myself making some and I just want to know if theres any that've slipped under my radar. Any and all (civilized) critiques are welcomed. 
> 
> And two, while I don't post any of my work to Fanfiction (for a few reasons), do you think it would be a good idea to post the first chapter there? I would leave a note to read the rest here. I'm asking because I know some of you post your work there as well and was wondering if you see any issue in doing that.
> 
> So yeah, you all have a good one and thanks for reading. See ya next chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a review if possible, and tell me what you think and what could be improved. Pacing, phrasing, or setting descriptions would be appreciated. I don't know how long it'll be between chapters, but I plan on finishing this.


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